


Stargaze

by fandom4fandom



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Gingerrose if you squint, My characters deserve hugs, accidentally became a TROS fix it fic, ben solo actually rises in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:26:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 57
Words: 55,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22784812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandom4fandom/pseuds/fandom4fandom
Summary: Lillian always felt alone in the galaxy, even with Rey at her side. That was until Poe Dameron flew into her life. Now Lillian, Rey, her new friend Finn and droid BB8 are thrust into a galaxy wide adventure. As Rey discovers her force sensitivity , Lillian discovers a hidden secret out of her past that probably should have stayed hidden. After all, no ones ever really gone.Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, & The Rise of Skywalker.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Rose Tico, Poe Dameron/Original Character(s), Poe Dameron/Original Female Character(s), Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 7
Kudos: 16





	1. The Awakening

Luke Skywalker has vanished. In his absence, the sinister **First Order** has risen from the ashes of the Empire and will not rest until Skywalker, the last Jedi, has been destroyed. With the support of the **Republic** , General Leia Organa leads a brave **Resistance**. She is desperate to find her brother Luke and gain his help in restoring peace and justice to the galaxy. Leia has sent her most daring pilot on a secret mission to Jakku, where an old ally has discovered a clue to Luke's whereabouts....


	2. Rey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillian and her mother stumble upon a little girl on Jakku.

_**JAKKU, 21 ABY** _

Mother and I scrubbed and scrubbed the scraps. My tiny hands gripped the sharp metal. "Why aren't you wearing gloves?" Mother asked sternly. I shrugged. Mother grabbed my hands making me drop the metal and shoved big gloves on my hands. A robot came by yelling at us. Unkar Plutt then returned.

"Come back!" the girl my age in his arms said. "Quiet girl." "Come back!" she screamed again. He threw her to the ground. Next to me Mother stopped scrubbing. The robot chirped again as she stood up. "Mother?" I asked. "Leave. Her. Alone." Mother gritted through her teeth. "Mera, who are you to resist me." Unkar said. "Don't forget why you're here..." "Where's this child's parents?" she asked. "Classified." he simply said. "Really. Me too, big secret." she said sarcastically. She knelt down to the crying girls' level. Hooded figures approached her. "What's your name sweetheart?" "Rey." she said. "Nice to meet you Rey. Call me Mera. My daughter's name is Lillian." Mother said looking to me. The figures grabbed her. "Go with her." she said as they took her away for punishment. Rey walked up to me. The robots returned, yelling for us to get to work. I nodded picking up the metal. I handed one of the gloves to Rey and showed her what to do. She nodded and scrubbed through her tears.

Several hours later, we returned to our home in a downed AT-AT. "Where are you from?" I asked. "It doesn't matter. They'll come back." she said. Mother returned then. She was always tired and had bruises on her body. She coughed and looked to Rey. "You'll be staying with us from now on ok?" Rey nodded. "Until my parents come back?" "Yes, until they come back." Mother said.

_**25 ABY** _

Mother was paler. Rey and I sat next to her on the bed. We held her hands as she took her final breath. We were 10 when we buried my mother in the sand. I was alone. Helplessly alone in a galaxy far far away...


	3. Sandy Insomnia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillian discovers a mysterious resistance man in the Jakku night.
> 
> NOTE: Italicized text is flashbacks, memories, and visions

_**JAKKU, 34 ABY** _

_Ominous music echoed and white and black helmets rattled. They were aboard a star destroyer. One of them began to breathe heavily and looked over their shoulder._

I awoke with a start, my red hair a mess around me. I looked out the window to see the still dark sky staring back. I groaned quietly trying not to awake Rey. I quietly stepped out of our home and grabbed my stormtrooper blaster. I kept it after one of our days scavenging. Rey wanted me to sell it but I refused. I began to wander until I saw a tiny village on the outskirts of Jakku.

This village was different. I saw an old man open the tent to welcome a dark haired man inside. An x-wing and a droid waited for him. Desperate for information, I went to the backside and watched it unfold through the thin fabric. I saw the old man, Lor San Tekka hand the dark haired man a bag. Even through the tent the dark haired man looked handsome.

This will begin to make things right." Lor said. I've travelled too far and seen too much to ignore the despair in the galaxy. Without the Jedi, there can be no balance in the force." Pfft, the Jedi aren't real. The Skwalkers were just showoffs. Things just happened for them. The dark haired man finally spoke. "Well, because of you we now have a chance. The General has been after this for a long time." he said. Lor scoffed. "To me she's royalty." The surviving princess of Alderann. After that she joined the rebellion and helped her brother, Luke destroy both of the Death Stars. It came out several years later that they were the children of Darth Vader. He was a person once but I didn't really care. Luke and his crazy nephew were killed on an island where he was training Jedi. Leia, like Lor said, was a general.

Then the driod ran in beeping frantically. I only caught a few words it said but 2 made me run. _"Beeep beeep, boob, First order, beep booop."_ the droid said frantically. I ran away as the handsome man ran out and boarded his x-wing. I didn't see what happened next but the sound of gunfire confirmed my fears. I returned home to see Rey sitting cross legged on our bed. She saw my fear and hugged me. We laid back down and went to sleep.


	4. We Meet Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BB-8 is here and ready to drag our scavenger ladies on an adventure.

We slid down the sand dunes after digging through the downed star destroyer. Rey popped open the canteen after we reached the bottom. She shook out the last drop. I shot her a fake offended look.

"We'll get more with our portions." she said sliding off her mask and helmet identical to mine. I adjusted my dark grey shirt and white wraps around my shoulders. I adjusted the ropes that held my light grey pants to my knees before climbing on the back of the speeder.

"What you've brought me today is worth..." Unkar stumbled over his words as Rey and I waited by the window. "One quarter portion." I gave Unkar a disappointed look before we sped off on the speeder again. To return home nearly empty handed.

...

I prepared our food as Rey scratched another mark on the metal wall. We split our food and we sat outside. Then we saw it. A orange and white droid fought its way out of a net set up by a Teedo. I jumped up and ran towards them. "Lillian stop!" Rey said. I held my blaster to the Teedo. "Tal'ama parqual!" Rey shouted. The Teedo screamed back. "Parqual zatana." I said. The droid beeped worriedly flashing back and forth from Teedo to me and from me to Rey. I put the blaster away and began to cut at the net. Teedo objected and Rey yellled at him. Teedo screamed again before running off. The droid beeped with appreciation. Rey shushed him as Teedo became out of earshot. "Teedo just wants you for parts." I said looking at the familiar droid. It suddenly dawned on me.

"You're the droid from the battle. Where the first order showed up!" I realized. "Lillian. Nothing ever happens here. Why would they come here?" Rey said. The droid refused to answer. Rey took this as a moment to change the subject. "You're antenna's bent." Rey adjusted the BB unit's antenna. "Where are you from anyway." I asked. I knew it was from the resistance but where. It beeped. _Classified._ "Really me too. Big secret." Rey said.

She stood back up. "Niima Outpost is that way. Stay off Kelvin Ridge. Keep off from the sinking fields in the north, you'll drown in the sand." Rey said walking off. "No, we should keep him at least for the night." I said. "Fine." Rey agreed as BB-8 happily followed her. "But in the morning you go."

...

I awoke the next morning. The first night in months that I've slept a full night. I decided to walk around the desert scape, possibly scope out a place for Rey and I to scavenge. I saw it, well him. His dark hair hung into his eyes. He didn't belong here. I then noticed the blood.

"Sir!" I said running to his aid. I was greeted with a blaster in my face. "I am trying to help you. Unless you want this to end in a standoff." I said placing a hand on my own blaster. "Sorry." he said. He grunted again with pain. I helped him stand. I recognized him then. "Have I seen you before?" he asked. "Maybe." I said beginning to guide him to the nearest healer I knew. "I did see you the night of the raid." he said. I stopped in shock. He saw me. "I have insomnia. I walk at night." I said. "Sounds dangerous." he said. "I can handle myself." I replied. "By the way is your droid a-." I stopped speaking as soon as we arrived at the temple. We had reached our destination. A few healers my mother knew. They were older, some believed them to be former Jedi that were missed during order 66.

"Help him." I said handing him over to them. They rushed to his aid. My mind nagged me to tell him about the droid. I could get it to him before he left. I only hoped. 


	5. Finn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another mysterious man shows up on Jakku, followed by the First Order.

**_NIIMA OUTPOST_ **

I had met Rey at the outpost later in the day. She was waiting in line for Unkar. "Where were you?" she asked, obviously having her scavenging done that day. I didn't answer. I instead looked at the droid. BB-8, we learned his name was. "Beebee Ate. I found him. He's with some healers." I said. Rey hummed in agreement as we both looked at the droid in near excitement before realizing it was our turn.

"These 5 pieces." Unkar stammered. "Are worth 1 quarter portion." "Last week they were a portion each." Rey said. "What about the droid?" Unkar asked. I stepped in front of the droid. "What about him?" I asked. "I'll pay for him." he commanded throwing out bags and bags of portions. "60 portions."

That would feed us for weeks. Rey and I both forgot about the droid we were protecting and ran to grab the portions. Rey paused and looked down at BB-8. I followed her gaze. I just told him his master was alive and this is what I do. Rey and I looked to each other and nodded. "Actually. The droid's not for sale." Rey said grabbing her portion. "Go and get his master. I'll wait." Rey said stepping out of the line with our quarter portion. I smiled at her and took the speeder to the healers.

...

The temple was empty except for one of them. "Where was that man?" I asked her. "Gone. We sent him off an hour ago. He had to report back to the resistance. His droid is carrying information about the last jedi." the healer said. "But the Jedi aren't real." I mumbled. The healer shot me a look. I sighed and took the speeder back to the outpost.

...

I saw Rey fending off an attack from Unkar's henchmen. I shot the one she couldn't see behind her. "They're after the droid. Where's Bebe's master?" Rey asked. "He left. He was with the resistance." I said. "Against the First Order." Rey finished. BB-8 then beeped towards something. We looked up to see a sweaty man wearing all black in the desert and a brown leather jacket.

Rey began to charge at him. I ran after her. The man suddenly shot up and ran to a nearby tent. Rey got to him first slamming him to the ground with her staff. The man groaned in protest. "What's your hurry, thief?" Rey said "What?" the man and I both said. "Thief? the man asked before being zapped by BB-8. "Your jacket." Rey said. "The droid says you stole it." The man groaned. "Look, I've had a pretty messed up day alright. So I'd appreciate it of you didn't accuse me of-" he was cut off by BB-8 zapping him again. 

He beeped again. It stood out to me. I pointed my blaster at the man. "He said it belonged to his master." I yelled. The man sighed in defeat. "It belonged to Poe Dameron. That's his name right." he said. "Dark hair, nice face." I replied. the man looked at me weird as Rey gave me a smirk. "He was kidnapped by the First Order. I helped him escape but our ship crashed." he said. "Is he alive?" "I took him to healers early this morning. He already returned to the resistance."I said. "So you're with the resistance?" Rey asked. "Obviously. Yes I am. I am with the resistance, yeah." the man lied. "I'm with the resistance." Rey clearly didn't catch on to his very clear lie. "We've never met a resistance fighter before." Rey said. "Well this is what we look like." he said. "Some of us look different."

"Beebee Ate says he's on a secret mission." Rey said. "And he needs to report back to his master." I replied. "He has a map leading straight to Luke Skywalker." he began. "Luke Skywalker" Rey said amazed. I scoffed. "The Jedi weren't real. Your missions are a lost cause." I said. "Everyone's after it." he finally said after glaring at me. "I thought he was a myth." Rey said. BB-8 beeped frantically interrupting our conversation. Rey and I ran into the square. The man grabbed Rey's hand pulling her away. I ran too. Tie Fighters were on our tail.


	6. Stop Taking My Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our heroes make a desperate escape.

"Let go of me!" heard Rey shout to him above the gunfire. "No!" he said. "We need to keep going." I said finally catching up to them. BB-8 trailed behind. Stormtroopers shot at us. "Beebee Ate, stay close." I shouted. We ran into a tent as Stormtroopers terrorized the townspeople. "They're shooting at both of us." I said. Rey bent down to check on BB-8." My ears were still ringing as he grabbed Rey's hand again pulling her back out into the chaos. I groaned and followed them.

Tie fighters shot at buildings and tents, exploding them. We were knocked down. Rey crawled over to the man helping him up, offering her hand. He took it as we ran again. Rey led us to our speeder. "We can't outrun them!" the man said. "We might." I said knowing her plan. "We need a pilot." he said. "We have one!" Rey and I said. "You guys, really. What about that ship?" he shouted pointing to a light freighter. It looked like a pile of garbage. It looked to be during the age of the old republic.

"That one's garbage." I said. Then the speeder exploded. Rey looked to the freighter. "The garbage will do." she said as we ran to the ship.

**_MILLENIUM FALCON_ **

Rey positioned herself in the pilot's seat as I sat in the co-pilot's seat. The man sat by the gunners. Rey frantically flipped switches. I then realized knew the controls from somewhere. "Rey move." I said frantically as we switched seats. "I can do this." I mumbled repeatedly and worriedly. We took off slowly. The edge of the ship turned towards the sand as I heard the man scream. I smashed into some structures around the area before taking towards the sky. "Bye Mom." I mumbled as I passed over her gravesite. Rey and I let out breaths we didn't know we were holding. "Stay low. It confused their tracking." the man shouted. "Going low." I said into the headset as I positioned us lower.

"Beebee Ate hold on!" Rey said. They shot us. Rey flipped off the shields as he began to fire at them. "We need cover real quick." he said. "We're about to get some." I replied ducking into the ruins, weaving between them. I heard him fire until there was one left on our trail. "It's stuck in the forward position. I can't loose them." he said. I sighed wiping the sweat from my forehead. I saw an opening in a star destroyer. "Get ready." Rey shouted. 

**_SPACE_ **

I put the ship in auto pilot as stars surrounded us. Rey and I hugged on wobbly legs. We walked back out of the cockpit and to him.

"Good shooting." I said. "Nice flying." he said. "How did you-" "I don't know." I said. "I've flown some". "But we've never left the planet before." Rey said. "Your last shot was dead on. That was amazing." "You set me up for it. But yeah that was pretty good." he sad cockily. "That was perfect." I said. Then the droid beeped.

"You're ok." Rey assured BB-8. "He's with the resistance. He's going to get you home. We all will." I snuck a glace at the man. "We don't know your name, resistance man." I said.

"Finn." he said with the name sounding unfamiliar on his tongue. "What's yours" he smiled. "Lillian" I said. "Rey." Rey added with a smile. Finn's smile faded. "Rey. Lillian. I have-" Finn was cut off by a wirring sound throughout the old ship. Smoke busted from one of the tanks. Rey and I tore off the grating. "Help us. Quickly." Rey said to Finn as he rushed to help us lift the heavy metal. Rey ducked into the compartment to fix the gas leak. I sorted through the materials I supposed she needed.


	7. Force

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillian experiences her first vision through a strange force.

_**MILLENIUM FALCON** _

_Something was calling me. I looked up no longer seeing the interior of our ship. It was another ship, a newer ship. A man stood before me, dressed in black._

_"The two were accompanied by two girls. One had red hair." a voice said. I didn't see their face. I then recognized the man. It was Kylo Ren. He seemed to look at me and then to the other voice. There was a pull. Someone gasped for air. The scene ended as Kylo Ren spoke. "What girl with red hair!"_

I was pulled out of it as the emergency alarm blared.

"It's the motivator." Rey said. "Grab me a Harris Wrench." I was still in a daze. Finn searched the ship.

"How bad is it?" Finn asked. "Yeah." I nodded. "If we want to live, not good." Rey said sharply before turning back to the mess. She was better at fixing than I ever was. I was more of a collector than a scavenger. I noticed BB-8 staring at me. Finn only got more frantic as he searched through tools. "They're hunting for us now, we gotta get out of this system." he said finally handing her the wrench. "Absolutely. The farther, the better." I agreed.

"Beebee Ate said the location of the Resistance base is need to know." Rey began. Finn got really nervous. "If I'm taking you there I need to know." Rey hid back down to continue the job.

I glared at Finn. "Stop lying to her." I whispered. "My mother hid a lot from us. You can fool Rey but not me." Finn looked at me shocked. "I'm sorry. I'm trying to get away from them too. Far away." he then looked to BB-8. "You gotta tell us where the base is." The droid backed away shocked, beeping wildly. "I don't speak that." Finn looked back down at Rey. She was too occupied. He looked to me. "Between the three of us. I'm not with the resistance, ok?" BB-8 backed away. I just glared at the droid. "Do you want to see your master again?" I asked it. It didn't answer. "Again, I'm trying to get away from the First Order. But if you tell us where your base is, I'll get you there first. Deal?" Finn said. BB-8 looked back at me then at him, cocking his head. "Droid please." Finn begged. Rey then appeared again.

"So." she stretched out the word. "Where's your base?" "Tell her." I said. "Go on Bebe Ate, tell her." Finn urged as I rolled my eyes. We all glared at the droid before it beeped an answer. "Please." Finn pleaded.

"The Ileenium System?" Rey said as Finn handed her a tool "Yeah the Ileenium System, that's the one. Get us there as fast as you can." Rey disappeared again as Finn gave BB-8 a thumbs up. BB-8 gave one back in the form of a upwards welding tool. I smiled at the droid before looking back down to Rey. "So are we stopping there soon?" I asked. 

"I'll drop you two off at Ponemah Terminal." she answered. "I need the bonding tape, hurry." Finn began to search the tools. "Rey, what about us?" I asked. "We need to get back to Jakku." she said. ""Back to Jak-. Why does everyone always want to go back to Jakku?" Finn exclaimed. "Do we really need to? Maybe it's time we go off." I trailed off noticing that she wasn't even listening, already moving back to work. 


	8. Connections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Han and Chewie!!!

All these years I've changed. Adapted to Jakku although I wanted to leave the day Mother passed. But I stayed for Rey, who desperately believed her parents were coming back. 

I pulled out of my thoughts and looked to Finn, who struggled to find the bonding tape. "No, that one!" Rey said. Finn hovered his hand over several other tools all while Rey screamed no. "If we don't patch it up, the propulsion tank will overflow and flood the ship with poisonous gas!" I then walked over to him before finding the tape immediately and tossing it to her. Finn and I walked back to where she was and sat down. "Rey. You're a pilot. You can fly anywhere. Why go back? Do you guys have a family? Boyfriend? Cute boyfriend?" Finn asked quickly. "Rey wants to wait for-." I began. "None of your business that's why." she replied annoyed. It got dark. The power was out. 

"That can't be good." he said. "No. It can't be-" I began running to the cockpit as Rey, Finn, and BB-8 followed. Rey checked the non-working panel. "Someone has locked onto us. All the controls are overridden." she said. Finn stood on the seat to see outside. "Oh no." he muttered. 

We sat in the freighter powerless as a giant ship sucked us in. 

"It's the First Order." he said helplessly flopping into the seat. "There has to be something we can do." I said. I glanced at Rey in front of me. "The gas!" I said. "Right. You said it was poisonous gas." he said. "But I fixed that." she said. "Can you unfix it?" I asked. We all got up grabbing gas masks on the way. We all jumped to hide beneath the decks. I pulled the grating over the top of us as Rey began to remove the tape. "Do you think this will work on stormtroopers?" she asked. "Yeah." Finn said as I looked at him surprised. How did he know that? He didn't notice my stare and continued. "Their masks filter out smoke, not toxins." 

We heard the sound of a ramp lowering. "Hurry!" Finn and I said in unison. then we heard the door open. There was a murmur of a voice. It sounded too old and gruff for a stormtrooper. The other steps were too heavy, almost like the steps of a wookie. Then light flooded in as the grating was lifted. An old man and wookie stared down at us. 

"Where are the others" the old man asked. "Where's the pilot." "I'm the pilot." I said. "Me too." Rey added. "You two?" The wookie roared. "No, it's true; we're the only ones on board." she said. "You can understand that thing?" I said. "And 'that thing' can understand you too, so watch it." the man responded. We all climbed out. BB-8 happily followed. 

"Where did you get this ship?" the man asked. "Niima Outpost." Rey said. "Jakku? That junkyard?" 

"Thank you." Finn said before leaning to Rey and whispering: "junkyard". The man looked to the wookie. "Told ya we should have checked the Western Reaches." The man looked to Rey. "Who had it, Ducain?" he asked. "No." I said. "I stole it from Unkar Plutt. He stole it from the Irving Boys, who stole it from Ducain." Rey said. "Who stole it from me!" he finished. "Well you can tell him Han Solo stole it back the Millennium Falcon for good." 

Han Solo walked away observing his iconic ship. "This. This is the Millennium Falcon! You're Han Solo?" Rey asked. "I used to be." Han replied. "Han Solo?" Finn said amazed. "The rebellion general." "No, the smuggler." I corrected. "Wasn't he a war hero?" Finn asked who I assumed to be Chewbacca. He growled in response. "This is the ship that made the Kessel Run in fourteen parsecs!" Rey said amazed. I was confused. Maybe the stories were real. A smuggler falling for a former princess turned general. The princess's long lost brother was Luke Skywalker. Whose map was in BB-8. 

"It was twelve". Han answered from the cockpit. He then stomped back. "Some moof-milker put a compressor on the ignition line." he said. "I think Unkar did." I said answering for Rey. "I thought it was a mistake it puts too much stress on the hyperdrive." Han, Rey, and I spoke. He looked at us before turning back into the gruff old man.

"Chewie. throw them in a pod. We'll drop them off at the nearest inhabited planet." Han said as Chewbacca growled in response. "Wait. We need your help." I said trying to stop him. The droid has to get to the resistance as soon as possible!" "It's true." Rey added. "He's carrying a map straight to Luke Skywalker." Finn finished. Han stopped in his tracks. He really was _that_ Han Solo.


	9. Of Droids (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Memes

Rey, Finn, and I stared at Han Solo in awe. Maybe the force wasn't fake after all, right? 

"You are him, aren't you?" I asked already knowing the answer. "He is." Finn answered. "You really are the Han Solo that fought with the rebellion. You knew him." Han sadly nodded. "Yeah, I knew him. I knew Luke." Han wanted to continue before a loud sound of metal scraping against metal was heard. Han rolled his eyes. 

"Don't tell me a Rathar's gotten loose." Han grumbled as we all hurried out of the falcon to another bigger ship's hangar. The one that sucked us into this situation. "Wait!" Finn said. "Did you just say Rathars? You're not hauling Rathars on this freighter are you?" "I'm hauling Rathars." Han said fearfully as images of squid like creatures surrounded us. One of the images was something different. A ship was landing inside the hangar. 

"Oh great. It's the Guavian Death Gang." Han said to Chewbacca. "They must've tracked us from Nantoon. "What's a Rathar?" I asked. Rey nodded wanting to know as well. "They're big and dangerous." Han said. "You ever heard of the Trillia Massacre?" Finn asked us. 

"No." Rey said as I shook my head. "Good." Finn said as we continued down a corridor. "I have three of them going to King Prana." Han added. "Three? How did you get them on board." Finn asked. "I used to have a bigger crew." Han said. Chewbacca moaned in agreement. We then stopped as Han opened a hatch on the floor. "Get below deck and stay there until I say so. Don't even think about taking the Falcon." Han said helping Rey and Finn down. "What about Bebe Ate?" Rey asked as I stepped down. Han pulled me back. "The droid and your friend stay with me, until I get rid of the gang. Then you can have all go on your way." Han said. "What are we going to do?" I asked the old man who roped me into this. "Same thing I always do; talk my way out of it." Han said. Chewbacca groaned in disagreement. "Yes I do. Every time." Han closed the hatch as we walked back to the hangar. 

"So what's you deal?" Han asked as we walked. "I'm Lillian. A scavenger. My mother, Mera and I took Rey in." I said. "Mera?" Han asked. "Was she a redhead?" "Yes, but I don't see how this is-" I was cut off by the sound of a door opening. A man and his crew entered. 

"Han Solo." he said. "You're a dead man." I looked nervously to Han. BB-8 looked at us both. "Who's the lass?" he asked. "A lass that can kick your behind, so watch it." I said. "Always a pleasure Bala-Tik. What's the problem?" Han said ignoring Bala-Tick's previous comments. "The problem is we loaned you fifty thousand for this job, We also heard you borrowed fifty thousand to Kanjiklub." he replied. "You know you can't trust trust those little freaks! How long have we known each other." Han said. "Maybe you can work out a new deal?" I suggested. "We've waited too long lass. The question is how much longer will we want to know each other. Not long." he said. "We want our money back now." "You think hunting Rathars is cheap?" Han said. "Didn;t you spend that money?" I asked pretending to be a part of his crew. "I did." Han nodded. Bala-Tick didn't seem to believe us. 

"Kanjiklub wants their investment back, too." "I never made a deal with Kanjiklub!" he objected. "Tell that to Kanjiklub." Bala Tick said as doors slid open. 

"Tasu Leech" Han reliped. "Good to see you." Tasu looked less that pleased as as he spoke in a language I had never heard. "Boys, you're both going to get what I promised." Chewbacca growled. I had a feeling they were't going to. "Have I ever not delivered to you before?" "Yeah" Bala Tick replied. Tasu spoke again as a look of realization passed across Han's features. "What was the second time?" Han shouted. 

"Your game is old." Bala Tick said. "There's no one in the galaxy left for you to swindle." Tasu grumbled something else. BB8 beeped worriedly behind us. I shushed it. 

"That BB unit." Bala said snapping me away from the droid. "The first order is looking for one just like it. And 3 fugitives." Han's eyes fell on me. "First I've heard of it." he said as another member of Kanjiklub began to move towards us, well me.


	10. And Rathars (Part 2)

The Kanjiklubber got closer followed by other members. Chewbacca raised his bowcaster. Then there was a sound of wiring machinery, almost like doors opening. Lights began to flash as Han looked worried.

"I got a bad feeling about this." he mumbled. The lights came on again. Another corridor opened as more gang members approached.

"Kill them!" Bala Tick barked. "And take the droid." The gang members surrounding us raised their blasters. The unexpected happen, I assumed what Han feared. A creature roared behind them, swallowing some. The survivors turned their energy to blasting the creature I assumed to be a rathar. We turned away from the gunfire and ran back down the corridor we came.

As we rounded a corner, a Kanjiklub member charged at us. I took it out in a much before anyone had a chance to react. As we ran, members of either gang that surrounded us were gathered up by hungry tentacles. In the distance I saw Rey and Finn climb back up and run off. I heard a shriek that I assumed to be Rey's. 

Neither one of us has encountered a rathar. Han then grabbed my arm and pulled me for cover. Han and I exchanged fire with my blaster and his pistol with the gang fire. BB-8 hid behind us worried. Han then turned to the walking carpet.

"I got the door. Help her cover us!" He said moving to the door panel. Chewbacca and I fired. The doors shot open revealing the Millennium Falcon. Chewbacca turns away as a blaster bolt shot him down with a pained roar. "Chewie. You ok." Han said grabbing his pal's bowcaster. Chewbacca nodded and fires at the control panel, keeping the doors open. The controls imploded as we ran out. "Badass." I said. "Wow." Han said as we both supported Chewbacca to the ship. "Han!" Rey shouted as she and Finn rounded the corner into the main area of the freighter.

"You, close the door behind us!" Han shouted to Rey. "You two take care of Chewie." He said to me and Finn. The wookie screamed in pain as Han and Rey got to the cockpit.

**_MILLENNIUM FALCON  
_ **

"Hang on back there!" Han shouted as we began to take off. I steadied myself as Finn searched helplessly for a first aid kit. He found it as the ship was hit by gunfire, spilling the contents. I grabbed the bandages as we took off. Fire continued. I assumed it hit the fuel line when the ship began to jerk downwards. Then the ship jerked up again into light speed and out of the hangar. I then felt it again. A pull. I was no longer on the Falcon.

_I was somewhere else entirely. I stood in front of a towering projection. "There has been an awakening." the projection none other than Supreme Leader Snoke himself said. "Have you felt it?" "Yes" Kylo Ren beside me said. "There is something more. The droid we seek is aboard the Millennium Falcon." He said. Dammit Kanjiklub. "In the hands of your father, Han Solo." I stepped back in shock. The stories were true. Was the force doing this? Did I have it? "He means noting to me." the former Solo said._

All of a sudden the pull stopped. Chewbacca yelped into my ear. Finn nervously wrapped the bandages around the brown fur. My wobbling hands tried to help him. I just couldn't believe it. Kylo Ren was the son of Han Solo. "Chewie come on."Finn whined. "Help me with this giant hairy thing. Stop moving Chewie." "Finn. I'm helping." I said as we struggled to bandage the moving patient.

"You hurt Chewie, you're going to deal with me!" Han screamed from the cockpit. "Hurt him?" Fin questioned. "He's almost killed me six times." Chewbacca then grabbed the man by his throat. I tried to yank them apart. "Which is fine."

Finn slid into the rounded seat as Han returned to us, awkwardly moving around BB-8. Chewbacca, no Chewie, growled at Han. "Nah, don't say that. You did great. Just rest." Han said comforting his friend before looking to Finn. "Good job, kids. And thanks. Finn nodded in appreciation. "You're welcome." I said. Finn then leaned onto the table activating a long and old game of chess. Finn switched it off. Han then looked around the ship casually and back down to the droid. "So." I felt my heart drop to the pit of my stomach as he spoke. "Fugitives, huh?" 


	11. Green

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Lillian see a green planet for the first time.

Rey jumped in to answer. "The First Order wants the map." Rey said. Han nodded, his face growing slightly paler. I knew why. His son was there.

"Finn is with the resistance. We're just scavengers." Rey said looking to me. "That's right." I said. Han looked at Finn quizzically as Finn flicked off the game. Han looked at BB-8. "Let's see what you got." He said urging the droid on. BB-8 rolled back before projecting an image of an incomplete map. Stars spun around us.

"This map's not complete. It's just a piece. Ever since Luke disappeared, people have been looking for him." Han said. "Why did he leave?" I asked. "He was training a new generation of Jedi. One boy, an apprentice, my son turned against him. Luke felt responsible. He just walked away from everything, even his family." Han said. He cried the weight too, probably like Luke did.

"Do you know what happened to him?" Finn asked. "There are a lot of rumors. Stories." Han looked around the room again. "The people that knew him best say he went looking for the first Jedi temple." "But the Jedi weren't real." I said. "I used to think that myself, kid. Thought it was a bunch of mumbo-jumbo. Magical power holding together good and evil, the dark side and the light." Han paused again. "Crazy thing is, it's true. The force, the Jedi, all of it. It's all true." 

Then a ding interrupted the beauty. The projection shut off. Chewie began to get up to help but Han refused, wanting his friend to rest. He looked to us again.

"You want my help? You're getting it." We moved to the cockpit. Rey slid into the co-pilot's seat as Finn and I sat behind her and Han. "Gonna see an old friend of mine. This is our stop."

The ship slammed out of light speed and onto a beautiful green planet.

**_TAKONDANA_ **

I could't believe it. Green trees. Green grass. Green ivy. All beneath a blue sky. But yet it all felt familiar. I heard a quiet gasp in front of me. Rey was as shocked as I was. "I never knew there was this much green in the whole galaxy." I smiled. Han glanced over at us before landing the ship in front of a glorious palace. Rey and I stepped out to take it all in. Finn and Han gathered supplies and joined us a moment later.

Han handed Rey a blaster. "You might need this." he said. "I think I can handle myself." She replied. "Yeah with a staff. You can't bring one of those to a gunfight unfortunately." I said. "She's right. That's why I'm giving it to you." Rey took if from his waiting hand. "Do you know how to use one of these?" He asked She nodded. "You pull the trigger." She said. I sighed walking away from them and towards the palace.

...

"Solo, why are we here again?" Finn asked. I was beginning to wonder the same thing. "To get your droid to a clean ship." He said. "Clean? Rey and I wondered out loud. "Do you really think it was luck that Chewie and I found the Falcon? If we can find it on our scanners, the First Order's not far behind." Han said. We approached the front gate.

"Want to get Beebee Ate to the Resistance? Maz Kanata is our best bet." "We can trust her right?" Finn asked. Finn continued to grow more nervous. He wasn't with the resistance, then what was he? "Relax, kids. She's run this watering hole for a thousand years. Maz is a bit of an acquired taste, so let me do the talking and whatever you do don't stare." Han warned. "At what?" I asked. "Any of it." Han said as we stepped inside. 


	12. Maz and Visions

_**MAZ'S CASTLE** _

It was loud. The music thumped as we moved past aliens and humans alike. Han then found the person, er alien he was looking for. I assumed this to be Maz. She adjusted her goggles and then yelled.

"Han Solo!" The room fell quiet. All eyes fell on our odd group. "Hey Maz." Han said putting on a fake smile and waving. The noise returned as Maz approached.

"Where's my boyfriend?" she asked. Boyfriend? "Chewie's working on the Falcon." Han said. "I like that wookie." she said. Her thousand year old eyes fell on us and then BB-8. "I assume you need something. Desperately. Let's get to it." Maz led us to a table.

...

"A map to Skywalker himself? You're right back in the mess." she said. "Maz, I need you to take this droid to Leia." Han said. "No." Maz said taking us all aback. "What do you mean no?" I asked. "Hush child." She sapped to me before turning back to Han. "You've been running away from this fight for too long. Han." She said something I didn't understand. "Go home." "Leia doesn't want to see me." Han said

"Please, we came here for your help." Finn begged. "What fight?" Rey asked. "The only fight; against the dark side." Her eyes oddly fell on me. "Through the ages, I've seen evil take many forms. The Sith. The Empire. Today it is the First Order. Their shadow is spreading across the galaxy. We must face them. Fight them. All of us." Maz said. "There is no fight against the First Order. Not one we can win. Look around." Finn said. "There's no chance we haven't been recognized already. I bet you the First Order is on there way right now." There was a click. Maz climbed up onto the table, crawling to Finn. Fin wondered why, growing nervous as she got closer, her eyes growing bigger each time. "Solo, what is she doing?" Finn asked. "I don't know but it ain't good." Han said, not looking concerned at all.

"If you live long enough you see the same eyes in different people. I'm looking in the eyes of a man who wants to run." Maz said. I felt as if she was right. "You don't know a thing about me. Where I'm from, what I've seen. You don't know the First Order like I do. They'll slaughter us all. We all need to run." Finn said while Rey sat beside him stunned. Maz ignored this and instead pointed to some pirates standing in one of the corners of the castle. "You see those two? They'll trade work for transportation to the Outer Rim. There, you can disappear." She said. Fin stood up and began to walk to him.

"Finn." Rey said. "Come with me, both of you." Finn urged. We were so close. "What about Beebee Ate? We're not done yet. We have to get him to your base." Rey said. "I can't." Finn said. Rey ran after him. I looked back at her then Han. "Go kiddo." he said. I ran after them. As I walked away, Maz spoke. "Who's the girl?"

...

"What are you doing?" Rey asked. "Don't leave without me." He said to one of them before they left to give us privacy. "You can't just go. I won't let you." Rey said. "He's not who you think he is." "She's right. I'm not resistance. I'm not a hero." He said. "I'm a stormtrooper." Rey and I were stunned. I had never expected this. Finn continued.

"Like all of them, I was taken from a family I'll never knew. And raised to do one thing. But at my first battle, I made a choice. I wasn't going to kill for them. So I ran right into you two." He smiled a bit. "And you guys looked at me like no one ever had. I was ashamed of what I was. But I'm done with the First Order. I'm never going back. Come with me." Finn said. Rey and I didn't want to. When you start something, you need to finish it. "Don't go." Rey begged. "Take care of yourself. Please." Finn said. He left. Rey turned to a stairwell.

"Do you hear that?" Rey asked. "What?" I asked. She continued when I did hear something. A child screaming. A little girl's that sounded too familiar. We moved down the stairs and into a vaulted room. In the room there was a table that sat a wooden box. I walked in front of her and opened the box. Inside there was a metal object. Rey and I recognized it as a lightsaber hilt. 

Rey reached to it. 

My mind screamed at me to stop her. But I didn't. Her fingertips brushed across is as a piercing sound echoed.

_Rey and I stood back to back in a dimly lit corridor. We looked around as the corridor began to tilt, spin. We landed on the ground, dried grass that itched my exposed skin. I looked and saw Rey outside of the fire. I was in it._

_"Lillian!" My mother's voice yelled._

_"Stargaze." A man's voice said. A metal hand smacked against a blue and white droid._

_There was rain. The scene before us was gone again as darkness filled the sky. Lightning struck. A creature dressed in black stood over us. Then a red beam struck through its chest. The beam was pulled out revealing the man I saw in visions. Kylo Ren, surrounded by his Knights of Ren. Ren began to charge at us. "Rey?" a warped voice asked as it suddenly got very bright. The rain halted. Rey and I immediately knew where we were. Jakku_

_"No!" A voice cried. Unkar Plutt held her arm. Holding the child Rey as a ship flew off. "Let her go!" My mother said running to help Rey. "Quiet girl." Plutt said to her. It changed again. It was night. Snow fell. The only sound was Rey and I's panicked breaths. Then the sound of a lightsaber estinguishing. A flash of red, blue and green. Kylo Ren emerged from the forest that was around us. Rey screamed. We both fell to the ground and back in the castle._

Rey looked around panicked. I continued to stare at the space in front of us, expecting something to come from it. I could tell Rey was doing the same. Maz's light footsteps ran to us. "What was that?" Rey asked. We shouldn't have come here." Maz just shook her head. "That lightsaber was Luke's. And his father before him and now it calls to you." Rey was still in shock. Rey nor I had ever expected this. We were just scavengers from Jakku. I was ready to finish this mission and go home, wherever that may be. "I have to get back to Jakku." Rey quickly said. "Han told me." Max said motioning Rey to her level. They took hands. "Dear child. I see your eyes. You already know the truth. Whomever you're waiting for on Jakku, they're not coming back." But Rey was waiting for her parents, unless they were gone, like mine. "But there is someone who still could.""Luke" Rey said, realizing a destiny. Whether it be her's or someone else's.

"The belonging you seek is not behind you. It is ahead. I am no Jedi, but I do know the force. It moves through every living thing no matter what you may believe. The force is real and true. Something you both possess." I got to her level next to Rey. This is going to be hard to accept. The force is in me.

"Close your eyes. Feel it. The light. It's always been there. It will guide you. The saber. Take it." Maz said. I wanted to listen to her, learn it's power. But Rey suddenly stood.

"No. I'm never touching that thing again. I don't want any part of this." Rey ran off. "I wanted to run after her but the saber on the box kept me there. For reasons unknown. 


	13. Young and Old

I ran out of the palace desperate to find Rey. "Rey!" I yelled. I then felt an intense amount of pain, nearly collapsing to the ground. As if a million voices cried out in pain and were then silenced. I looked up seeing multiple small explosions in the sky.

I then noticed Han by my side, grabbing my shoulder to steady me. Chewie was on my other side. "It was the republic!" Finn said running up to us.

"Back so soon." I snarked gaining strength. "Look I'm sorry I didn't tell Rey. But the First Order did that." He then looked around and back to me, getting worried himself. "Where's Rey?" "I don't know. She ran off after touching the lightsaber." "Lightsaber?" Han asked.

"Come with me!" Maz yelled from behind leading us back to the palace and into the hidden room.

"I've had this for ages." Maz began. "I kept it locked away. For safety." Han's eyes widened. Now knowing that the stories are true, Luke lost it on Cloud City after getting his hand severed off. "Where did you get that?" Han asked remembering where it last was. "A good question. For another time." Maz looked to me. "Take it. Find your friend." I took it from her feeling a wave of familiarity wash over me. Then the room shook from an attack from above. "Those beasts!" Maz complained. "They're here."

We ran back outside. The castle crumbled from tie-fighters blasts.

"Come on Chewie!" Han shouted over the commotion. Maz looked to me again. "Rey and Bebe Ate, they need you. Now go." "I need a weapon." Finn said. I handed him my blaster.. "I already have one." I said turning it on in a flush of familiar blue. I saw Han and Chewie run through the battlefield, Han briefly taking Chewie's bowcaster and blasting Stormtroopers with it. Han looked shocked. I decided to fight. I ran out, piercing the trooper's armor with the blade. I then heard it.

"Traitor!" A voice said. A stormtrooper stared at Finn. It activated a mace. I tossed him the saber while I took back my blaster. Yes the lightsaber is cool, but you can't bring one to a gun battle. Finn began to fight the trooper. When it looked like the odds were against him, Han basted the trooper, sending it down in a blast.

"You ok big deal." Han asked. I shot at a trooper walking up behind Han. "Thanks." Finn said, switching the lightsaber off. All of a sudden, stormtroopers surrounded us. "Don"t move." one said. "We have 4 targets in custody." We were marched across the field back to one of the transports. Then there was a wiring overhead. X-wings and other Resistance ships fired at the First Order's ships.

"It's the Resistance." Han said. We fought off the troopers surrounding us and took back our weapons, firing and slicing quickly. All of a sudden they began to retreat. I guess we were too much for them. "No." Finn said making me look over. Kylo Ren carried an unconscious Rey to his ship. "Rey." I whispered. I ran to the ship only to be stopped by oncoming troopers. I shot at what I could before they retreated. "REY!" Finn shouted as the ships lifted off into space.

"He took her." Finn said. We went back to Han. "Did you see that?" Finn asked. "He took her. She's gone." "Yeah, yeah. I know." Han said becoming distracted. A Resistance transport landed in the debris. The door opened. Leia Organa Solo stood in all her glory. Han and Leia stared at each other in silence. Having reunited after many years apart. A droid ran out from the transport as well. BB-8 rolled up beside me The droid was all gold with the exception of a red rusty arm. "Goodness!" It said. "Han Solo! It is I See Threepio!" C3P0 said. He waved to me and Finn. "You probably don't recognize me because of the red arm." Han didn't acknowledge his old droid friend. The tension suddenly got very awkward as he looked from Han to Leia.

"Look who it is." He turned to Leia. "Did you see-?" Leia gave him an annoyed look. 

"Excuse me princess, sorry General. Sorry. Come along Beebee Ate." BB-8 beeped happily following C3P0 onto the transport.

"You changed your hair." Han said. Leia smiled. "Same jacket." she responded. "No, new jacket." Han said. Chewie greeted her with a hug. Chewie looked at all of us before boarding the ship. Han continued to stare at Leia. "I saw him." Han said. "Leia, I saw our son."


	14. Friendship

**_D'QAR_ **

The transport landed. Finn and I exited quickly. That was an awkward ride. Han and Leia didn't speak to each other. The only time words were exchanged was when Leia asked who Finn was and his story. She strangely didn't ask for mine. BB-8 brushed past our feet and to an x-wing. It ran to a person I'd never thought I'd see after my encounter on Jakku.

"Poe." Finn spoke. "Poe Dameron." I ran after Finn. The two men hugged. "I can't believe you're ok." "Jedi healers helped me. This girl lead me to them." He said noticing me. "Which was you." he said moving to me. "Poe Dameron, Resistance commander." "I know." I said. "I'm Lillian Hobbett, Jakku. Although I'm not sure anymore." Which was true. My mother probably hid the force and the truth of the galaxy away from me. She had her reasons but yet she was always secretive.

BB-8 beeped at our feet. "Bebe Ate says that you saved him." Poe translated. "We did." Finn said. "But not just us." There was a roar of the Millennium Falcon landing behind us. "You completed my mission, Finn." he said. The attractive man then looked the jacket Finn was wearing. "That's my jacket." Poe realized. Finn moved quickly to remove it. "No keep it. It suits you." he said. "What can I do to repay this?" "Well Poe." I said. "We need your help."

...

We explained what had happed to Rey to Poe.

"So we're going to save your sister?" Poe asked. "No, she's not my sister. Mother adopted her but Rey never accepted us as such. Not taking our name, believing her real family to be out there. We're friends." I said. Poe and Finn nodded. As we entered the main control room featuring Admiral Ackbar, Leia, and resistance officers.

"General Leia. We need to speak to you." Poe said. "Finn needs to talk to you." "And I need to talk to him. That was incredibly brave, what you did." Leia said. "Renouncing the First Order, saving this man's life." "Thank you but our friend was taken prisoner." "I know. Han old me about Rey. I'm sorry." Poe then interrupted the General. "Finn's familiar with the weapon that destroyed the Hosnian system. He worked on the base." Poe said. Leia shot the apparently hot headed pilot a look before turning her attention back to Finn.

"We're desperate for anything you can tell us." Leia said. "That's where my friend was taken." Finn said. "We've got to get there fast. "And I will do everything I can do to help, but first, you must tell us all you know." She said. She called in more officers. C3P0 then took the data from BB-8 and iterated it into a base computer. The beautiful hologram appeared again.

"General. I regret to inform you, but this map recovered from Bebe Ate is only partially complete." The droid said. "And even worse, it matches no charted system on record. We simply do not have enough information to locate Master Luke." "I can't believe I was foolish enough to think I could just find Luke and bring him home." Leia said. "Leia." Han began. "Don't do that." Leia said. "Do what?" Han asked "Anything." "Princesses." C3P0 scoffed. Han ran after his wife. The projection shut off and officers cleared the room. BB-8 began to roll away.

"I don't understand how finding Luke will help us." I said. "He's powerful in the force and the general cares about him." Poe said. "He's her twin brother." "I know that but how will this help us find Rey." I asked. Poe stared ahead. He didn't know. "Thank you again, Lillian. For everything." He said before walking off. I sighed and began to wander the base. I saw an object in the corner covered with a tarp. I walked up to it. BB-8 rolled up next to me and removed the tarp. 

The blue and white droid stared back. BB-8 urged it to say something. The droid was down. "Beebee, the droid is broken." I said as a few beepes returned. It was the other droid, speaking in long beeps. It's name was R2D2. "Lovely to meet you Artoo." I said. Then it got slower and then shut off entirely. "Bebe Ate, Lillian. You're wasting your time." C3P0 said. "It's very doubtful that Artoo would have the rest of the map in it's backup data." "Why is everyone focused on finding Skywalker?" I asked. "He was mine and Artoo's master. He was very kind." C3P0 said. "That's enough for me." I smiled. BB-8 beeped as I covered the broken droid up with the tarp again. "I'm afraid not." He said. "Artoo Deetoo has been in low power mode ever since Master Luke went away. Sadly, he may never be his old self again." I sighed and walked outside. Another pull.

_I was somewhere else again. It was a dark ship, especially dark here. I then saw it Rey was strapped down to a table. A man I found so familiar looked down at her. I suddenly realized how I recognized his black clothing and the mask in the corner of the room. Kylo Ren used the force on my best friend._

_"I know you've seen the map. It's in there. And now you'll give it to me. Don't be afraid. I feel it too." He said. His words were angry but yet comforting. It was his voice. It was kind once. "I'm not giving you anything." She said. Kylo Ren moved in front of her, "We'll see."_

_He gazed into her eyes, trying to find an answer. The pain suddenly became strong. But It wasn't my own, it was Rey's. I felt it through the force, somehow. Then her demeanor changed from pain to strength. A push back. Rey had the force as well. "You. You're afraid... that you'll never be as strong as Darth Vader." Rey said with a fierceness I had never seen in her. Kylo released his torture. Suddenly his brown eyes met mine, no doubt this time. He left the room and then spoke to me._

_"It's you." he said "Lillian."_


	15. Love in the Resistance

"Lillian." another voice said. I jumped. I turned and saw Poe and Finn. "We found something." Poe said. "About where she may be." I nodded and caught my breath and followed them back to the control room. Finn eyed me. "You good?" He asked as we walked in. "Yes." I lied. I specifically saw Leia glance at me before turning her attention to Poe.

The room was filled with a hologram of the surface of Starkiller base. "The scan data from Snap's reconnaissance flight confirms Finn's report." Poe said. "They've somehow created a hyper light speed weapon built within the planet itself." I guessed who to be Snap said. "A laser cannon?" someone guessed. "We're not sure how to describe a weapon of this scale." Snap said. "It's another Death Star." someone said in fear. A strange chill ran down my spine.

"I wish that were the case Major." Poe said. He activated another projection. "This was the death star." Another, larger projection, nearly identical, appeared beside it. "And this is Starkiller Base." Everyone was stunned. "So it's bigger." I said. "How is is possible to power a weapon this size?" The famed Admiral Ackbar asked. "It uses the power of the sun. As the weapon is charged, the sun is drained until it disappears." Finn said. Then Leia was handed something.

"The First Order." She said. "They're charging the weapon again, now. Our system is the next target." "Without the Republic fleet, we're doomed." C3P0 said. "Didn't you guys blow up the Death Stars?" I asked. "So how do we do that? There's always a way to do that." Han said.

"Lillian's right." Leia said. "In order for that amount of power to be contained, that base would need some kind of thermal oscillator." An officer said. "There is one." Finn said. How convenient. Finn zoomed in to a shape within the Starkiller hologram. It was the oscillator.

"If we can destroy that oscillator, it might destabilize the core and cripple the weapon." The officer said. "Maybe the planet." another added.

"We'll do in there and we'll hit oscillator with everything we got." "They have defensive shields that our ships cannot penetrate." Ackbar added. "We disable the shields" Han suggested. He looked to Finn. "Kid, you worked there, what do you got?" "I can do it." Finn said. "You know I'm in." I said. We really needed to get Rey back. She was important to the cause. If only she could look past Jakku and her family.

"I like them." Han said. "I can disable the shields. But I have to be there, on the planet." Finn said. "Rey's there as well. I can feel it." I said. "We'll get you both there." Han said. "Han, how?" Leia asked. "If I told you, you wouldn't like it." Her husband replied. Leia sighed.

"So we disable the shields, take out the oscillator and we blow up their big gun." Poe said. Wow he was hot. "Let's go."

...

Poe patted Finn's shoulder as he moved to the x-wing. 

I had never felt this way about someone before. "You like him don't you?" Finn asked as we bagged supplies. "Like who?" I asked. "Poe. You did save his life." he said. "No way." I lied. "He's too old for me and Rey will want to go to Jakku anyway." I said. "You guys can separate, go on your own path like I did." Finn said.

"If it makes a difference." Han said sneaking up behind us. "Leia and I are 10 years apart and she still loves me." Han said looking back at Leia. They obviously did. They had a child, a life together. "By the way, be careful with those. They're explosives." Han said. "Now you tell me." Finn sassed back.

"You know." Leia said making my head shoot up. Her attention was on Han. "No matter how much we fought, I always hated watching you leave." "That's why I did it. So you'd miss me." Aww. She moved closer to him. "I did miss you." She said. Han looked at her with love. "It wasn't all bad was it. Some of it was good." "Pretty good." She said. "Some things never change." Han replied. "True, you still drive me crazy." Leia laid her head on his chest as Han held her close. Leia looked up. "If you find our son again, bring him home." Han nodded. Finn caught me looking and listening in on their conversation.

"Stop it." He said as we gathered the explosives. And boarded the Falcon. Han was right behind. We were going to save Rey. 


	16. Rescue

The ship jumped as we approached the base.

"How are we getting in?" Finn asked. "The shields have a fractional refresh rate." Han said. "Keeps anything from traveling slower than light speed from getting through. "We're making a landing approach at light speed?" I asked with surprise. Chewie groaned in surprise. "Alright Chewie, get ready." Han said to his wookie co-pilot. He and Chewie flicked some switches. "Now!" We went into light speed as we entered the atmosphere of the base.

**_STARKILLER BASE_ **

Chewie groaned as the tops of trees scraped against the belly of the ship. "I am pulling up!" Han shouted. We plowed through trees. Another pull I felt as the ship landed.

_I was staring at Kylo Ren again. "You again." He said. "I can say the same thing." I mumbled. "You brought my father here." He said. "Han Solo."_

I was being pulled from the ship. "Are you sure you're ok?" Finn asked. "For the umpteenth time, yes." I said pulling on a coat. I felt the Skywalker lightsaber in the pocket of the coat. A jedi's weapon deserved more respect. We exited the falcon and approached one of the bay doors. Chewie carried the bag of explosives. Han, Finn, and I were equipped with blasters. The lightsaber was if it got bad, like fighting the grandson of Darth Vader bad.

"The flooding tunnels are over that ridge." Finn said. "We'll get in that way." "What was your job when you were based here?" Han asked. "Sanitation." Finn said. Oh, he was dead. He's going to get all of us killed on this mission. "Sanitation?" Han grumbled. "Then how do you know how to disable the shields?" "I don't. I'm just here to get Rey." Finn said. "Finn. People are counting on us." I said. "The galaxy is counting on us!" Han said trying not to shout. "Solo, we'll figure it out! We'll use the force." Finn said. "That's not how the force works!" Han and I said. Chewie then spoke behind us. "Oh really, you're cold." Han sassed, to angry to deal with the wookie's issues. Finn groaned. "Come on." he said as we followed him over the snowy hike. We somehow got inside and boarded an elevator. The door whooshed open and there stood a stormtrooper. "Hey." It only has time to say before my blaster bolt hit him in the chest. Chewie dragged the limp dead body into the elevator as we exited. Finn shivered. It would probably be hard for him to accept that they are the enemy until they decide it for themselves. We ducked behind a corner.

"The longer we're here, less luck we're going to have. The shields?" Han said. "I have an idea about that." Finn said as we wandered the halls until we saw the metallic chrome armor of Captain Phasma. There were no other troopers around. Chewie and Han t-boned her while Finn and I pointed our blasters at her shiny head.

"Remember me?" Finn asked. "FN-2187" she said with disgust. "Not anymore." Finn said. "The name's Finn and I'm in charge. I'm in charge now, Phasma." I laid a hand on his shoulder. "Simmer down." "I'm in charge." Finn mumbled. "Follow me." We followed Finn with Phasma as a hostage through the base once again.

We arrived at the main control room. Phasma worked at the controls. Any minute I expected her to attack us and take us prisoner. Finn didn't get this feeling apparently.

"Do you want me to blast that bucket off your head?" He asked. "Lower the shields." "You're making a big mistake." she said before lowering the shields with a switch.

We focused away from her for a moment. "If this works, we're not going to have a lot of time to find Rey." he panicked. "Don't worry kid. We won't leave here without her. Phasma turned to face us. I reached into my pocket for the saber. "You can't be so stupid as to think this will be easy. My troops will storm this block and kill you all." Finn rolled his eyes. "I disagree. What do we do with her." he asked. Han grinned. "Is there a garbage chute? Trash compactor?" Han asked. Finn knew exactly what he was getting at. "Yeah. There is."

...

After tossing Phasma down into the compactor, we sent the signal to the resistance. They were there in minutes, firing at the oscillator as much as they could. We heard the roar of tie-fighters within the base. 

We took cover.

"We'll use the charges to blow that blast door. I'll go in and draw fire, but I'm going to need cover." Finn said. "Are you sure?" I asked. "You up for this?" Han asked. "Hell no." Finn said as I saw something over his shoulder. "I'll go in and try to find Rey." I stoped listening when Han nudged my shoulder. Beyond us and through a window, Rey climbed the intricate wall of the base, trying to get to a ship. Han began to motion to Finn where she was. Finn didn't get it.

"Why are you doing that? Why are you doing this?" He asked motioning with his head they way Han was. "I'm trying to come up with a plan." He then turned and saw her. We boarded an elevator again to get to the spare tie fighters.

...

The door opened. There was Rey pointing a blaster at our heads. Realizing who we were, she dropped it. She pulled me into a hug.

"Are you alright?" Han said, feeling guilty that his son did that to her. "Yes. I feel like he wouldn't hurt me anyway." Rey said. "Good." Han said. "Did he try to hurt you?" Finn asked. "Finn?" she asked as if she realized he was here. "What are you doing here?" "We came back for you." Finn said. Rey smiled. I knew this was all she ever wanted. Chewie growled behind us. I was beginning to understand shyriiwook a bit more. I smiled. Something about Finn was what Chewie said. Meanwhile, Rey nearly began to cry. "What did he say?" Finn asked her. "That it was your idea." she said as they were pulled into a hug. "How did you get away?" I asked believing to know the answer. "I can't explain it. And you wouldn't believe it. We all embraced into a group hug with the exception of Han and Chewbacca. I heard Han groan causing us to break apart.

"Escape now." He said. "Hug later." 


	17. Solo Family Reunion

We ran out to the snowy fields to the falcon as a battle raged overhead. In the sky, the resistance was in trouble, we weren't going to win this battle. I couldn't let the people and the man I saved die. "They're in trouble, we can't leave." Han said. We looked to the bag of explosives. He, Finn, and I nodded. "My friend here has a bag full of explosives. Let's use them." He said.

...

Rey, Finn, and I opened a service hatch. Han and Chewie provided a lookout. Finn and I sat behind her as she pulled wires loose and the base submerged into near darkness. Han and Chewie ran back into the base to set the explosives at the oscillator.

We got back onto a speeder and began to head to the other side if the structure so Han and Chewie could escape. But yet I couldn't shake the feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something was wrong. We then looked up at the sky. The sun was nearly gone, plunging the planet into eternal stars.

Rey, Finn, and I went to the structure and opened a hatch. The remaining sunlight beamed down on none other than Han Solo and his son Kylo Ren. We could barely make out their words.

"Han Solo. I've been waiting for this for a long time." Kylo said. His voice was warped from the mask. "Take off that mask. You don't need it." Han said. "What do you think you'll see if I do?" Kylo asked. "The face of my son." Han said. Kylo removed the helmet, dropping it to the railing-less catwalk.

"Your son is gone. He was weak and foolish like his father." Kylo said. "So I destroyed him." "That's what Snoke wants you to believe." Han said. I thought back to one of my dreams, or were they visions? "But that's not true. My son is alive." "No!" Kylo barked. "The supreme leader is wise.' He was clearly brainwashed. "Snoke is using you for your power. When he get what he wants, he'll crush you. You know it to be true." Han said. Kylo's face shifted. "It's too late." he said. "No it's not. Leave here with me. Come home. We miss you." Han said. Kylo suddenly felt a conflict, a tremor in the force.

"I'm being torn apart." tears filled his brown eyes. "I want to be free of this pain. I know what I have to do but I don't know if I have the strength to do it. Will you help me?" Han took a step towards him. "Yes." Han said. "Anything." Kylo Ren unholstered the cross bladed lightsaber that I had seen in my head. He slowly moved it to his father. The light began to fade. The sun vanished from the sky. As did the light left in Ben Solo.

Han smiled and reaches for the weapon. Don't. Kylo's eyes filled with darkness and extinguished the blade through his father's chest and back. The red glow being the only thing that illuminated the scene. "Thank you." Kylo said barely above a whisper. Beside me, Rey and Finn screamed. With the last bit of strength as Kylo pulled the saber free, Han reached out and touched his son's face. Han then fell, to the depths of the structure.

Kylo Ren stood there, stunned. The act weakened him. Chewie shot Kylo with his bowcaster causing the man to fall to his knees. Stormtroopers flooded in. We fired back from the balcony. Chewie then pressed a button activating all the explosives. The structure began to fall apart and cave in. I then noticed Kylo Ren get back up in the chaos. He then looked up and his eyes met mine.

He began to painfully move off the catwalk and up to us. We ran as fast as we could out of the base and into the forest. It was then I felt the ripple in the force. I had felt it, Rey had felt it. Worst of all. Leia did too.

We continued to maneuver through the forest, climbing though the snow. "The Falcon's this way." Finn shouted over the battle right over our heads. Then we heard a dreadful sound. A lightsaber extinguished. Red light came in. We tentatively approached the former Solo, who just killed his own father. He finally spoke, his voice full of hate.

"We're not done yet."


	18. Red Snow

The saber crackled over the wind. "We're not done yet." Kylo Ren said. I reached into my coat pocket. The cold metal of the saber in my hand. It was almost on instinct. "You're a monster." Rey said. "It's just us now." Kylo said. "Han Solo can't save you." He then began to press down on his wound, smacking it as blood stained the snow. Rey then grabbed my blaster. She pointed it at him before Kylo grabbed her with the force and pushed her against a tree. A sickening snap was heard as she collided with it. "Rey" Finn said. He rushed to her side, cradling her unconscious body. I was at Finn's side as well. We heard the saber move and the crunch of snow. "Traitor!" Kylo shouted. Finn's face hardened. I pulled the lightsaber for my pocket and handed it to him. He gladly took it standing up and extinguishing the blue blade.

"That lightsaber. It belongs to me." He said. He looked to me briefly before looking back at Finn. "Come and get it." Finn said as they charged at each other. Sabers clashed. Finn struggled against the more talented fighter. Kylo quickly overpowering him. Finn fell to the ground. Kylo pressed the wound again. "Finn!" I shouted. He got back up attacking him again. The flight continued as Kylo pinned Finn up against a tree, pressing one of the cross guards into Finn's shoulder. Finn screamed as I felt Rey's body stir. Kylo sliced at a tree and Finn jabbed his shoulder. Finn was overpowered again as Kylo forced the saber out of Finn's hand and into the snow a few feet away. I extended my hand, praying for it to come to me, hoping for it to work.

Kylo slicked up Finn's back, knocking him out. I saw Kylo turn extending his hand for the saber as well. Rey stood up and extended her hand as well. Three forces called the saber and only one to have it. The saber moved through the air. Past Ren, past Rey. To me.

I was stunned. I nodded as Rey rushed to Finn's aid. I expected it to go to Rey. I only has feelings of the force, never using it. Rey had used it. I leveled my footing and charged at him. Our sabers crackled. "Finally embracing your legacy." Kylo said. "I don't know what you're talking about." I said as I blocked another attack. "Remember." He said as he lowered his defense. I took my chance and swung the saber towards his abdomen. I suddenly had a flash of memory at the worst time.

_"Stargaze" a voice said. It was of a man. His sandy blonde hair looked at me with love. "I'm sorry but you need to leave. "Daddy." I cried. "Darling, let's go." My mother said. "Mera, I know you don't want to but the darkness in him grows, he'll kill her if he gets the chance." My father said. He placed a hand on my shoulder as there was a blackness._

"You do." Kylo said realizing the look on my face. "Perhaps this will jog it more." He said as I felt the saber get warm against my arm. It moved up and I collapsed to the ground in pain. My own blood stained the snow red. My severed hand still clutching the saber a few feet away. My eyesight got fuzzy. I saw Kylo go to grab the saber. He raised his saber above me. "I'm sorry it has to be like this Lilly." he said. "But I don't have a choice. Then a force grabbed the saber from his hand. Rey gripped the saber. Kylo looked at her in awe. 

Rey, from nowhere, calling the Skywalker lightsaber to her. She switched it on. Their sabers clashed. Moving through the forest. Slicing down trees in their wake. Rey seemed to overpower him immensely despite him having years of training. She stabbed at him. Then Kylo gained the upper hand. The ground cracked. Rey swaying on the edge.

"You need a teacher." he said. "I can show you the ways of the force." "The force" she whispered. She thought for a moment before closing her eyes. Her stance became powerful. Radiating pure power of the lightside and darkside of the force. She opened her eyes and charged at him. That was the last thing I saw before pain enveloped me and I passed out. 


	19. The Journey Continues

_**D'QUAR** _

I awoke at the resistance base. "How are you feeling?" Rey asked. "I'm ok." I said. "How did we get here?" I herd Chewie roar. "He came back for us on the Falcon. Finn's getting treatment now. I'm not sure how long he'll be out. Then a familiar dark haired man walked in. "Is she ok?" Poe asked Rey. "I'm fine." I said. "We found the map to the base, if you guys are up to it." I nodded. I then noticed a droid looking me over. I now wore a metal hand with a fake layer of skin over the top of it. It had a compartment open on the wrist. "Can you feel?" It's metallic voice asked as it poked the tips of my fingers for some kind of reaction. 

I felt each little pinprick and nodded. Rey and Poe helped me up. They led me to the man control room.

Leia immediately approached me. She hugged me. I wrapped my arms around her. I felt bad. We couldn't protect Han. Then I saw a blue and white droid roll up to us. "Artoo?" I questioned. "My little friend has been out for so long. He has the remaining piece of the map but the General insisted we reveal it when you woke up." C3P0 said. "We'll don't just stand around. Show us." I spoke.

R2 projected the map. BB-8 rolled up to his master. Poe knelt down to its level and placed the pice of the map into the unit. The two droids pieces slid together perfectly. "Luke." Leia had said. The map lead to an island called Ach-To. "The map." C3P0 said. "Is complete."

...

2 days had past. We has Han's funeral. It's hard when you don't have a body. We didn't have one for my mother. She disappeared at the time of her death so I just buried her clothes.

Poe had also agreed to help teach me on how to be a resistance pilot. I gave up the saber to Rey. She would take it to the island to begin her Jedi training. She was very strong in the force, might as well use that power. I didn't want any part of it. I was perfectly ok with the guy I liked training me. I almost felt as if he felt the same as I did.

He, Rey, and I stood over Finn, who was hooked up to machines on a table. "We'll see each other again. I believe that." Rey said. She gently stood up and kissed his forehead. She embraced me and looked back to Finn. "Thank you my friend." She said as we followed her outside. She adjusted the vest on her shoulders and the thick arm wraps. Leia big her farewell as she boarded the ship. "Rey." Leia said making her turn. "May the force be with you. "Rey grinned and nodded as the old general. Chewie and R2 would venture with her. She hugged me one last time before getting on the ship.

We were on our own paths now. It now seems crazy to me how I began this journey as an unbeliever of the force and how the past was. I now had the face and I an understanding of how this current republic stood. But unfortunately as I would soon discover, the past is not what is seems. 


	20. The Last

The **First Order** reigns. Having decimated the peaceful Republic, Supreme Leader Snoke now deploys his merciless legions to seize military control of the galaxy. Only General Leia Organa's band of **Resistance** fighters stand against the rising tyranny, certain that **Re** will return with Jedi Master Luke Skywalker and restore a spark of hope to the fight. But the Resistance has been exposed. As the First Order speeds toward the rebel base, the brave heroes, including **Lillian** , mount a desperate escape....


	21. General

It had been a week. A week since Rey left. A week since I began my pilot training. Poe believed I wasn't ready to fly into space. I had flown the Millennium Falcon, its not that hard. I now sat in the white hangar on the Resistance Cruiser. I had on an earpiece.

" _Hopbett, this is Dameron_." He said. "Hear you loud and clear commander." I said. "Tapping you in." I said. I reworked some controls to have Poe send a communication to the First Order, a method of stalling before we took out one of their destroyers cannons. 

_"Hey, should I insult Hux_?" Poe suddenly asked. " _He is a bit pasty._ " I smiled. "As fun as that sounds." Leia began. "No." I could almost hear Poe pouting on the other end. I heard BB-8 beep. " _Happy beeps here, buddy come on_." Poe urged the droid. Leia shot me a look and I wiped the grin off my face. "For the record Commander Dameron, I'm with the droid on this one." Leia said. " _Thank you for your support General_." Poe sassed. Then there was a long and loud ring. I wanted to take off the earpiece but continued to serve.

" _This is Commander Poe Dameron of the Republic fleet, I have an urgent communique for General Hux._ "he said awaiting an answer. I supposed he got one but Poe had to stall for this to even work. "Hux sounds like Hugs." I mumbled into the mic. I saw Leia hide a smile.

" _Hi, I'm holding for General Hugs_." Poe said. Another pause. "Ok, I'll hold." This banter continued for a few moments longer. Suddenly his ship jerked forward. He fired at the ships guns and cannons. " _Woohoo! That's got a kick_." He said.

I saw the other pilots begin to mount up. I wanted to head to an x-wing myself, help the resistance. It was hard to even move under the princess turned General's gaze.

" _Taking out the cannons now. Tallie, start your approach._ " Poe said. " _Copy that._ " Tallie replied. The First Order couldn't take out the x-wings. We were at too close of a range. " _There's one cannon left. And here comes the parade._ " Tie fighters zoomed after them. I head BB-8 chirp in fear. When a tie's blaster it him, sparks flew damaging his x-wing. " _No!_ " he chanted panicked. _"Dammit!_ ' "What?" I asked. " _Weapon systems are down. We got to take out that last cannon or our bombers are toast._ " He said before then speaking to his droid. " _Make your magic work buddy_."

Then the First Order's cannons came to life once more. They fired on out base. I saw the ship lead by Lieutenant Connix flee out of D'Quar and attach itself to our cruiser. I ran to help them inside and went back to the control room. The evacuation was complete. "You did it Poe. Now get your squad back here so we can get out of this place." Leia said. " _No General_ " Poe said. Oh no, he did not just deny the General. " _We can do this. We have a chance to take down a dreadnaught. Those things are fleet killers. We can't just let it get away_." Leia rolled her eyes. "Disengage now. Commander that is an order!" She said. Then the feed cut off. Poe had cut us out.

Next to Leia, a gold droid with a recently replaced arm, stood nervously. "Wipe that nervous expression off your face Threepio." Leia muttered. I bit my lip to hide a laugh. "Oh well. I'll certainly try general. I'm nervous." C3P0 said.

A few moments later, the bombing fleet ran by. Leia collapsed into a chair defeated. It's a victory for the resistance but a failure to their numbers. I recognized one of the bombers to be Paige Tico. I watched as she gave a brief hug to her sister Rose and got in the ancient bomber. I'm not sure if it was the force or pure intuition, but I feared most would never return. I could tell Leia and I were thinking the same thing. She looked at me and nodded. "You have my permission Lilly. Get into an x-wing and stop them." She said. I ran to quickly change into an orange jumpsuit and boarded a ship. When I sat behind the controls a flash overcame again.

_"Ready Stargaze?" My father's voice said. "Go Daddy Go!" I said sitting on his lap on his rebellion x-wing. We took to the skies over an ocean. It was beautiful. So beautiful. We didn't go too high. My mother just a speck on the ground. My aunt stood next to her._

I took to the starry sky, blasting at oncoming tie-fighters. "Dameron stop this now." I said. "Nice to see you Lillian." his voice was almost mocking me. "This mission is doomed." I said. He ignored me. But as if on cue, the bombers were all taken out. Only one stood. Tico.

"Paige!" Poe said. "Drop the payload now!" It was a few moments. I fired at the remaining tie's. The bombs then dropped. The bomber exploded. The remaining pilots cheered. I took the ship back to the hangar. I got out, shooting a glare at the commander as I walked by. I then saw another friend.

Finn walked in front of the hangar with fluids shooting out of the bacta suit he was wearing.

Poe got to him first. Poe and I hugged him before realizing we got bacta fluid over us as well. Finn just looked confused. "Hey buddy. It's so good to see you." Poe said. "How are you feeling.?" I asked. Finn nodded blankly, trying to connect the events of the week before. "Let's um." Poe stumbled over his words. "We need to get you dressed. Come on." We helped him stand with us on either side of him.

"Poe, he doesn't have anything to wear." I reminded him. I was wearing some of Leia's old clothes for the time being, at least before the jumpsuit. "I think I'll have something." Poe said. He turned his attention back to Finn. "You must have a thousand questions" Poe asked him. But Finn only had one. "Where's Rey?" 


	22. Big Deal

I walked back to the hallway in a long sleeve tunic, white vest, and grey pants. I saw Poe standing outside a door, probably for Finn. We waited as he changed. Poe wasn't in the mood to face Leia right now. I understood. He didn't care to see me right now either. "Maybe you'll learn to listen after all this." He said. "Maybe you'll learn to do the same." I said. "The only reason I went out there was to stop you from killing our fleet." "Sorry." He said. I considered not accepting his apology but who else tolerates me here. Leia's cool bit I feel like she has other things on her mind and as do I. I was about to tell him who ordered I go stop him, Finn walked out. We began to walk to the main control room as I felt a pull.

_After all this time, you would think I would have some control on these pulls. I didn't. I was now in a very red room. Before me was the throne of Supreme Leader Snoke. Kylo Ren kneeled before him. "I've given everything I have to you. To the dark side." Kylo said. Snoke seemed to ignore him. "Take that ridiculous thing off." Snoke said as Kylo obliged. Kylo looked different from the last time I saw him. His dark hair reminded me of Anakin Skywalker's and there as a dark bandage down his face. Rey told me of how she sliced his face open. A voice in her head told her to kill him, she took a different route._

_"Yes, there it is. You have too much of your father's heart in you, young Solo." Snoke said as he reached down to brush the tears off of his face. Kylo jerked away. "I killed Han Solo." he said. "When the moment came I didn't hesitate." "And look at you, the deed split your spirit to the bone. You were unbalanced... Bested by a girl who had never held a lightsaber! You failed!" Snoke shouted as Kylo stood up in anger. Snoke shot lightning at him as the scene snapped shut._

_..._

The first thing Leia did upon seeing us was march up to Poe and slap him across the face. 

I winced. That had to hurt especially with all the rings Leia wore. "You're demoted." she spat. "What? We took down a dreadnaught." He argued back "At what cost? I had to send out an inexperienced pilot to stop you from killing good soldiers." She said. Poe's eyes drifted to me briefly before looking back to Leia. "If you start an attack, you follow through." he said, something Leia had already known. The old woman sighed.

"Poe, get your head out of your cockpit. There are things you can not solve by jumping in an x-wing and blowing something up." she said. "I need you to learn that." Leia began to walk away as he grabbed her arm. "There were heroes on that mission." He said. "Heroes are no good dead." I said. "She's right, dead heroes. No leaders." She walked away from the attractive hot headed pilot as she turned to Finn.

"You must have a lot of questions, big deal." Leia said. "So we're really nowhere. How's Rey going to find us now?" Finn asked. Leia lifted her sleeve to reveal a beacon bracelet with a pulsing blue light. "Cloaked binary beacon." I confirmed to my friend. "To light her way home." Leia said. "Alright, until she comes back what's the plan?" he asked.

"We need to find a new base." Leia spoke. "One with enough power to send a distress signal to our allies in the outer rim." Commander Larma said. Then alarms blared. "What's happening?" I asked looking to the admirals and generals around me. A ship lurched into view. Snoke's ship. Kylo Ren was close.

"They found us." I said in shock. "That's impossible." Poe responded. He then shook his head. "It's Snoke's ship. You've got to be kidding me." He looked to some of the surrounding soldiers. "Can we jump into light speed?" "We have enough fuel for one jump." Connix replied. "Do it, we need to get out of here." Leia was mostly silent until her hand shot up. "Wait. They've tracked us through light speed." 


	23. Out of Range

I could sense Kylo Ren getting closer as Leia instructed us to go out there and fight. I glanced at Poe awaiting his permission. "Ok" he said. "But you fly with me." I nodded as I ran to change, throwing the jumpsuit on over the old clothing. Chaos flooded around us as BB-8 broke in. Poe and I met in the hall, running after the droid. " Don't wait for me! Jump in and fire her up!" Then I sensed it. Danger! A blast headed right for the hangar we were heading to. I thrust out my hand and tried to stop Poe from running in. I could only stop the blast for a millisecond with the force only for it to hit anyway. The force of that blast blew us back. The one's in the hangar weren't so lucky. The doors closed as x-wings and their pilots' burned.

"Are you guys ok?" Finn asked as he helped us up. I shook my head. I had failed to save them. I'll never be a Jedi. The force just leads to destruction. I was better off never knowing all of this at all. Finn shook my shoulder. My ears were still ringing.

"Lillian, did you hear him. We need to get out of range." Finn said. "Of the star destroyers.' Poe finished.

...

_Kylo Ren flew in his tie silencer. His attention turned to me briefly. "Lilly." He whispered. "Ren." I mumbled back. Then another presence was felt. Leia._

_Reaching out to her son. Kylo's thumbs fell from the triggers. I could tell what he was about to do. Call off the strike. But it was no use. Other tie-fighters slid past him firing at the ship and the control room Leia was._

I saw the explosion first hand, sucking all of our leaders out to the cold vacuum of space. I felt pain and loss. I was huddled against one of the walls of the ship. "Lillian." Poe began. But he had nothing to say. "Oh Maker!" Connix said. I felt Poe squeeze my shoulder. All of us and Finn looked out the window to see Leia, force pulling herself back to the door. The airlock shut behind her and we pulled the general's unconscious body inside. "Make way! Make room!" Poe shouted as fighters crowded the hallway, getting her to the medbay. She was weak but alive. But the feeling of loss lingered. I turned away to see Finn pick up the beacon bracelet that fell from Leia's wrist. Moments later the entire resistance returned to another control room.. Our numbers were low. Larma now stood in front of us.

General Organa. Leia. Is unconscious but recovering. This is the only good news I have. Admiral Ackbar, all our leadership, they're gone." Larma said. "Oh dear!" C3P0 said in worry. We were lost, hopeless. "Leia was the sole survivor on the bridge. If she were here, she'd say save your sorrow for after the fight. And to that end." I noticed Poe sit up straighter. Leia was grooming him to lead the resistance one day. He wanted to volunteer to lead but I could tell that wasn't going to happen, not now. Larma continued. "The chain of command is clear as to who should take her place. Vice Admiral Holdo of the cruiser Ninka." A purple haired woman walked in to stand next to her. She was tall and was adorned in silver jewels. "Thank you, Commander." The admiral said briefly glancing around the room. "There are four hundred of us on three ships. We're the very last of the Resistance But we're not alone. In every corner of the galaxy the downtrodden and oppressed know our symbol and they put their hope in it. We are the spark that will ignite the fire that will restore the Republic. That spark this Resistance, must survive." She seemed to dance around a possible plan. "That is our mission. Now, to your stations. And may the Force be with us." Poe then leaned over to whisper to me. "That's Admiral Holdo? Battle of Chyron Belt, Admiral Holdo?" He asked. I didn't know. I had never understood the battles of the past like he did. "I guess." I replied. "Not what I expected." He grumbled as he walked over to introduce himself to her.

I proceeded to stand up and walk away. "Miss Hopbett." A voice said. I turned to see Holdo staring at me. "It has come to my attention that you are force sensitive." I nodded. I had only ever called the Skywalker saber to me. Alas, Rey had taken it to Luke. I noticed Poe looking at me sympathetically. "I am. I have the force. I don't know how to use it." I said. "Well learn." Holdo said. "We need all the help we can get and it doesn't help coming from trigger happy fly boys." She said before marching back off to talk with more soldiers. I noticed Finn begin to walk off. I wanted to go after him but I wanted to see Leia. After all this, it was certain we were most likely doomed. Poe and I walked down to the medbay after changing back into our clothes.

The room she was in was bleak. The only color coming from the holographic monitors over her head. We pulled up chairs by her bedside.

"It's going to be fine. "Poe lied. "No it isn't. What did she tell you?" I asked. He sighed. "She blamed me for the loss of our fleet and expected me to follow her orders but I don't know what those are. She didn't even tell me the plan." "They have to have something but why ask me. I am not a jedi. They'll get that when Rey comes back with Luke." I said. "That's about the only hope I have left." "Hope is always here." He said. He took my hand and I laid my head on his shoulder.

Perhaps he did feel something for me. "You're one of the strongest people I know besides my mother, Lillian. You faced me down after getting your hand cut off a week ago. Pulled from everything you knew just to help me." Poe said. "You've already thanked me for that." I said. "You're a good person." He spoke. I didn't feel like it. I wasn't strong enough to stop a blaster. I abandoned the last place my mother was but for what. Rey immediately left. I had no one. I pulled my head off his shoulder and he touched my face, wiping away tears that I didn't realize fell. I then felt his face get closer to mine. Could this be happening? I had no one, perhaps this new person was him. I began to close the distance when there was a noise behind us. We jerked apart to see Finn and another woman. C3P0 wandered in as well. I recognized her as Paige's sister Rose Tico. They had a plan.


	24. Plans

"Just give it to me one more time, but simpler." Poe said. "So the First Order's only tracking us from one Destroyer, the main one." Finn said. "So we make that one blow up?" Poe suggested. "There's always a way to do that." I added. "I like where you're heading, but no. They'd only start tracking us from another Destroyer." Finn said. "But if we can" Rose began. Finn stopped her. "If we sneak on board the lead Destroyer and disable the tracker without them realizing, then we can" he said. "They won't realize if it's off for one system cycle. About six minutes." Rose said. "Sneak on board. Disable the tracker Our fleet escapes before they even realize." Finn added. It could work. Finn and Rose seemed proud of their plan. "How did you two meet?" Poe asked. "Just luck." Rose said. "Yeah? Good luck?" Poe asked. "Not sure yet." She answered. "Poe, we've got to do this It will save the fleet and it'll save Rey." Poe glanced at me and then back to Leia. He spread his hand across hers.

"If I surely must be the voice of reason." C3P0 finally spoke. "Admiral Holdo will never agree to this plan." "Does she need to know?" I asked. Poe smiled. "You're right Threepio. It's a need-to-know plan, and she doesn't." I grinned. C3P0 muttered a response.

"Alright" Poe responded, facing Finn and Rose. "You guys shut down that tracker. I'll be here to jump us to lightspeed." "I'll go to the island. Maybe I can save Rey and Luke. Get them somewhere safe." I said. Poe pondered my idea and nodded. I could tell he much rather wanted me with him. He went back to the plan. "The question is, How do we sneak the two of you onto Snoke's destroyer?" " We steal clearance codes." Rose suggested. "No, they are Bio-Hexaencripted and rescrambled every hour" Finn replied. "We can't get through their security shields undetected. Nobody can." Poe then pointed at Finn, realizing someone who could.

Maz Katana's face appeared on the holopad. We explained the situation to her.

"Could I do it? Of course I could do it." Maz said. An explosion sounded behind her. But I can't do it, I'm a little tied down right now." Gunfire followed. "Maz? What is happening?" Finn asked. "A union dispute, you do **not** want to hear about it. But, lucky for you. There's exactly one guy I trust that can crush that kind of security!" Man fired up a jet pack. Firing at those below. "He is a master codebreaker, an ace pilot, a poet with a blaster."

"Oh my. It seems that this codebreaker can practically do everything." A dubious 3P0 said. "Oh yes, he can." Maz said with a trace of sexual tone. She quickly snapped back to her nature. "You will find him with a red ploom flower on his lapel. Rolling on a high stakes table in the casino on Canto Bight." I had heard stories of that place. Filled to the brim with rich fools who threw their money away as the poor struggled to survive. "Canto Bight?" Poe asked. He shook his head. Maz. Is there any way we can take care of this ourselves?" "I'm sorry, kiddo. This is rarified cracking. If you want to get on that Destroyer, I know only one option. Find the master codebreaker." Maz said as the call stopped. Finn slipped off the beacon bracelet. We plugged it into BB-8 so we could get the map. We geared BB-8 up into the computer on our transport. Rose and Finn would make it most of the way while I would take an escape pod to the island. I ran to change. I couldn't bear to get Leia's old clothes dirty. I tossed Rey's old clothes into a bag. I opted for a white shirt with black wraps and the same pants with the same vest over the top. I walked back out to them.

"Good luck." Poe said. "I think we need to talk." He said. I said nothing. "I'm sorry if I was being too forward earlier. If you don't like me I understand." "I do like you Poe. I-" I was lost for words. I didn't know what to say. Do I confess how I feel right now. "We can talk when we get back" Poe said. "Sounds good." I said as I boarded the transport.

I readied my things in the escape pod. We jumped out of lightspeed over an ocean. 

_**ACH-TO** _

"This is beautiful." Rose said. I nodded in agreement. This ocean felt familiar. I shook it off and hugged Finn.

"Find that codebreaker." I said. "Only if you promise to keep Rey safe." he said. I smiled and boarded the pod. I felt it leave the transport and crash on the beach. I climbed out and adjusted my things. I made a trek up the stairs. 

I saw the natives of the island picking things up. But from what. I continued. I then saw something at the top the shook me to my bones. Rey stood looking across from the man that took my hand. The one I see in my head. Kylo Ren. 


	25. Straight to the Dark

"What the kriff?" I shouted. Rey shushed me. "Neither one of us have no idea what's going on." Kylo said. He looked around and back to me and Rey. He almost seemed to be on the island with us despite being a whole galaxy away. "Can you see my surroundings?" Rey groaned. "You are going to pay for what you did!" Rey said. Kylo seemed to ignore her. "I can't see yours. Just you." Kylo said. He looked to me. "When we would see each other, I could see you and your surroundings but this is something else." Then the hut beside us opened. An old man stepped out. I could tell who he was. This was Luke Skywalker. His face seemed familiar. My eyes fell to his metal hand. We both had the same hand sliced off. "Luke." Kylo said almost in fear as he faded away. Rey looked around confused.

"Who are you?" Luke asked me. "Lillian Hopbett. Rey and I grew up together. We need to get out of here." I said. The man continued to stare at me before switching to the facade of an old hermit. "No. I didn't ask for you to bring friends." He glared to what the caretakers were still cleaning. "What's that about?" he asked. Rey looked to the blaster hole in one of the huts, the one I assumed she was sleeping in.

She looked almost terrified. "I was cleaning my blaster. It went off." She lied. There was a pause, almost as if Luke didn't believe her. Then the old Jedi just shrugged. "Let's get started." Luke said. "On what?" I asked. "I said I would give Rey three lessons." he said. "So that's what I'm going to do." "Lillian can join. She has the force." Rey suggested. Luke pondered her for a moment before motioning for both of us to follow him. "Let's get started." He said leading us up another staircase. "Who were those things?" Rey asked "Caretakers." Luke annoyingly explained. "Island natives. They've kept up the Jedi structures since they've been built." The caretakers shot us annoyed and angry looks. "I don't think they like me." Rey said. "Wonder why." I sarcastically. We continued to climb until we were at a higher point on the rocky structure. We went through a cave which Rey and I looked around amazed at. We continued walking until there was a source of light from a cliff coming from one of the caves. Rey stopped to look at the shallow pool of water with a yin and yang symbol. I looked at it and wondered if that was why she and Kylo were connected in the force, or me and him. Behind us Luke stood.

"Master Skywalker, we need you to bring the Jedi back because Kylo Ren is strong with the dark side of the Force. Without the Jedi, we won't stand a chance against him." Rey said. "And the First Order itself." I said. "Apparently light speed tracking is a thing now." "It's always been a thing." Luke said. His focus shifted to Rey. The one he agreed to train.

"What do you know about the Force?" He asked. "It's a power that Jedi have that lets them control people and make things float." Rey said becoming unsure of herself. "Impressive. Every word in that sentence was wrong." Rey almost pouted at his words before he smacked a rock with a piece of grass. "Lesson one, sit here, legs crossed. Both of you." He said. Rey and I sat on the rock as he had said, back to back.

"The Force is not a power you have. It's not about lifting rocks. It's the energy between all things, a tension, a balance, that binds the universe together." Luke began. "Ok. But what is it?" Rey asked. I nodded, wanting to know. Perhaps this training, despite my lack of wanting to, might be good for me. "Close your eyes. Breathe." We followed his instructions. "Now, reach out." I reached forward on the rock in front of me. Rey instead stretched out a hand in front of her. Was she not thinking, was the interaction with Kylo messing with her head? Luke sighed and glanced from me to Rey. He then moved the grass up against her hand.

"I feel something." Rey gasped. "You feel it?" Luke said as a small smile came on his face. I bit my lip to stop a laugh. "Yes, I feel it." Rey answered. "It's the Force." Luke said. "Really?" Rey amazed. "Wow, it must be really strong with you." Luke said as I snorted out a laugh. Luke swatted her hand with the grass. "Ow!" Rey said as her eyes snapped open. She realized how much she had made a fool of herself and sighed. " You meant reach out like." Luke shot her an annoyed look while I laughed. Rey elbowed me in the back before fixing her posture. "I'll try again." Luke tossed the grass aside and pushed our hands down on the boulder in front of us.

"Breathe. Just breathe. Reach out with your feelings. What do you see?" Luke said. I began to see the island itself. We both saw the same thing.

"The island" I said. The island was shown, light peeking through the rocks.

"Life. Death and decay." Rey added. Beneath the surface was the bones of decomposed porgs. "That feeds new life." Small flowers bloomed across the surface.

"Warmth" I said. The sun shone bright.

"Cold." She responded. Waves crashed along the shore.

"Peace." I replied. Porgs cared for their children. I thought back to my mother. Making games out of scavenging. Then the waves got rough. "Violence."

"And between it all?" Luke asked. Wondering himself.

"Balance." Rey said. "And energy."

"A force." I had said.

"And inside you?" Luke asked

"Inside me." Rey said. "Us." I corrected. "That same force." We both said.

"And this is the lesson. That Force does not belong to the Jedi. To say that if the Jedi die, the light dies, is vanity." Luke said. I had begun to see the Jedi that way as well. If they were peacekeepers, why did bad things happen. Wars happen. "Can you feel that?" I nodded. Then darkness made itself known. A cavern beneath the island. I resisted the call. But Rey pressed on.

"There's something else beneath the island. A place. A dark place." She said. "Rey don't." I warned. "Balance. Powerful light, powerful darkness." "It's cold. It's calling me." The cavern got closer. Rocks cracked beneath me as my eyes opened. Pebbles and dirt began to float. 

Luke and I looked on. Luke looked terrified. I was just confused. "Resist it, Rey." Luke said. The cavern's mouth was too close now. "Rey?" I said worried. "Rey!" She was about to enter as water splashed out causing her to fall forward and break free from the trance. She gasped for breath. I ran to her side and helped her steady herself. "You went straight to the dark." Luke said with amazement and fear combined.

"That place was trying to show me something." Rey argued back. "It offered you something you needed. And you didn't even try to stop yourself." Luke said as he began to walk back down. "But I didn't see you." Rey said. "Nothing from you." Rey looked at him in realization. "You've closed yourself off from the Force. Of course you have." "I've seen this raw strength only once before, in Ben Solo." Kylo Ren. "It didn't scare me enough then. It does now." Luke said. Luke walked away leaving me and Rey alone. We walked back down. We went inside the Falcon. Some porgs had inhabited the ship, even making nests.

"What's going on with the Resistance?" Rey asked. I explained to her how our numbers were low, Leia, and the new admiral." "Is Leia alright?" Rey asked. Although they have known each other for a short time, they cared deeply for one another. "She will be." I said. "And what of the pilot, Poe?" she asked. I thought back to our encounter before I left. "Nothing to tell." I said. Rey smiled. "I wished I had someone care about me that much." She said. I shot her a fake offended look. "I know we have Finn, Leia, and Chewie." Rey said. "But I want something more." 


	26. Rain

Rey and I left the ship to see a light stream of rain falling from the sky. Rey and I grinned. We had never experienced rain before. We stomped in the puddles. A pull in the force stopped us. We now stood across from Kylo again.

"Why is the Force connecting us? You and I." He asked Rey. She just groaned. "Murderous snake!" She snapped back. Kylo look almost offended by this comment. "You're too late. You lost. I found Skywalker." "We found Skywalker." I corrected. "The First Order is doomed." I said. "Do you really believe that, Lilly. Did he tell you what happened? The night I destroyed his temple, did he tell you why?" Kylo pressed as he took a few steps closer to us, to Rey. "I know everything I need to know about you." Rey shouted. "You do?" he asked. He bent down a bit to look her in the eyes. "Ah, you do. You have that look in your eyes. From the forest. When you called me a monster." I took a few steps back as he got closer. Rey stayed where she was. "You are a monster." Rey said back. "Yes, I am." Kylo said. It was now Rey's turn to look confused and offended. She glanced over her shoulder at me and then back at the space where he was. He was gone. Ocean water splashed up at us.

...

The rain had subsided. I sat on a rock while Rey swung her staff around. Practicing. She then paused. Her eyes fell on the lightsaber in her bag. She picked it up and ignited it. 

The blue blade shining against the pale blue sky. She swung it around a rock that stood before her. I looked up to see Luke staring down at us. She twisted it in her hands. She swung the saber again, slicing through the rock in front of her. The half fell to the ground narrowly missing 2 caretakers. This was when Rey finally noticed Luke behind her. We sighed and grabbed our things to follow him back up the mountain.

We all now sat in the cave, that was right before the cliff we trained on earlier. Luke walked around the pool of water. "Lesson Two." He began. "Now that they're extinct, the Jedi are romanticized, defied. But if you strip away the myth and look at their deeds, the legacy of the Jedi is failure." He sat down on the edge of the water. "Hypocrisy, hubris." "That's not true." Rey insisted. "At the height of their powers, they allowed Darth Sidious to rise, create the Empire, and wipe them out." Rey stat next to Luke as he continued. "It was a Jedi Master who was responsible for the training and creation of Darth Vader." "And you. Obi-Wan trained you as well." I said. That was what Leia had told me. "And a Jedi who saved him." I replied. The stories I denied my whole life were true. My mother brushing off the Jedi as a tall tale. Perhaps it was because she was one as well, a Jedi.

I sat down next to Rey on the other side of the pool."Yes, the most hated man in the galaxy. But you saw that there was conflict inside him." Rey said. "You believed that he wasn't gone. That he could be turned." "And I became a legend. For many years, there was balance and then I saw Ben." Luke said. "My nephew with that mighty Skywalker blood. And in my hubris, I thought I could train him, I could pass on my strengths. Han was Han about it, but Leia trusted me with her son." Rey and I smiled at the mention of Han. Luke continued.

"I took him, and a dozen students, and began a training temple. By the time I realized I was no match for the darkness rising in him, it was too late." "What happened?" I asked. "I went to confront him. And he turned on me. He must have thought I was dead. When I came to, the temple was burning. He had vanished with a handful of my students. And slaughtered the rest." Luke paused, trying to gather himself. "Leia blamed Snoke, but it was me. I failed. Because I was Luke Skywalker. Jedi master. A legend." "The galaxy may need a legend. I need someone to show me and Lillian our place in all this. And you didn't fail Kylo. Kylo failed you." Rey said. "We won't." I finished. 


	27. Legacy of Liars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillian discovers her past.

Rey and I went back down the mountain. Darkness, the night, had fallen over the island. We felt a pull. Again.

"I'd rather not do this now." Rey said. "Yeah, me too." He said. "Me three." I grumbled. "Why did you hate your father?" She asked as we tuned to face him and saw his bare back. Force, was he shirtless. He turned. He wore only a pair of black pants with either a black bandage across his stomach or these were very high waisted pants. Rey looked away but I could see her sneaking an occasional glance. "Do you have something, a cowl or something you can put on?" I asked. Kylo said nothing. Rey and I looked at each other and sighed. "Why did you hate your father? Give me an honest answer." Rey demanded. "You had a father who loved you, he gave a damn about you." "I didn't hate him." Kylo objected. I wondered why. "Then why?" I asked. Why, what?" He asked. He looked to Rey and took a few steps closer. "Why, what? Say it." I could see the scar that Rey gave him stretched from his eyebrow to the top of his chest. Tears began to stream down Rey's face. Why did you." She paused. "Why did you kill him? don't understand." "No? Your parents threw you away like garbage." He said. "They didn't." Rey snapped back.

Could they have? Could Rey waiting on her parents be denial, that they tossed her on Jakku, never to return. Was it all a lie?

"They did." Kylo seemingly confirmed. "But you can't stop needing them. It's your greatest weakness. Looking for them everywhere. In Mera, in Han Solo, and now Skywalker." Rey said nothing. She tried to catch her breath. I stepped closer to her. I reached for her hand but Rey jerked away. "Did he tell you what happened that night?" "He did." I said. "Now leave us." "It's harder than you think Lilly. But no. He had sensed my power, as he senses yours. And he feared it." Kylo said showing us a glimpse of his memory. Luke Skywalker stood over him with a green lightsaber. Was what Luke told us a lie? Could Luke Skywalker try to murder his own nephew?

"Liar." Rey argued not wanting to believe it. He got closer. He now stood in front of us. "Let the past die. Kill it if you have to." He said. "That's the only way to become what you were meant to be." He then vanished.

"You don't really believe that bantha fodder do you?" Rey asked. "Maybe." I said. "You know." I began. I didn't even know what I was saying. "If you tried to find a parent in someone, my mother was right there. You should have appreciated her before she was dead." I soon regretted the words that came from my mouth. What was going on with me. It was like I suddenly saw something new, a new perspective. Rey stared at me shocked and hurt.

"Leave then." Rey said as she turned on her heels and walked the opposite direction. I knew where she was going, to the dark cavern. I followed after her. "Rey stop." I shouted. Growing up, she was the one to stop me, now I'm doing this to her. She continued, only stopping at the mouth of the cave. "Lillian, let me do this." She said kneeling down to peer down inside. Suddenly she fell forward down into the cavern below. I wanted to help her but I knew if I did, I would succumb to the darkness as well. But Luke could. Luke is the person to help us as Maz had said. I began to run up the mountain, back to him. Suddenly a vision overcame me.

_Fire was everywhere. Or was it lava. A man stood above another man. The man above him had auburn hair with a beard. He held a blue lightsaber. The man on the ground was only half of a man with legs missing and beginning to burn. The burning man began to scream in pain. "You were the chosen one!" The bearded man shouted. "It was said you would destroy the sith, not join them. Bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness. He took a few steps forward, and picked up a lightsaber, it was Luke's saber, and his father's before him. This was Anakin, the burning man was Anakin Skywalker, but why was I seeing this now? "I hate you!" Anakin Skywalker screamed._

The vision ended as I was suddenly at the top of the stairs. Ok I'm very confused. I saw Luke standing on the cliff. He was in a deep focus. Then I heard it. "Luke." Leia said. But she was sick, in a coma. "Leia." Luke acknowledged.

_"Leia." A much younger voice said. The bearded man from before was with her. The woman was on a medic bed, her lower half was in a birthing chamber. The bearded man held a baby boy in his arms. This baby was Luke, this woman was their mother, Padme. The droid held a baby girl, Leia. Padme was very beautiful despite her intense sadness._

_"Obi-Wan" she whimpered. "I know there's still-" She never got to finish her words. The scene then drastically changed. Luke was now my around my age. Luke backed up very carefully on a ledge. Darth Vader stood over him. "Luke, you not yet realize your importance. You've only come to discover your power Join me and we will complete your training. With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy." "I'll never join you." Luke shouted back. Blood from his severed hand began to spread onto his clothing. "Discover the power of the dark side." Vader said. "Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father." "He told me enough. He told me you killed him." Luke said. I knew what was coming next. The whole entire galaxy did. "No. I am your father."_

_The scene changed again, to be about the year 20 ABY. I used to remember nothing before Jakku._

_"Daddy!" A little voice cried. It was my voice. My red hair bounced as I ran into the arms of my father. "Hey stargaze, where's your mother?" He asked. "Teaching." I simply said. He picked me up and carried me to where some of his new padawans were being trained. He smiled as his wife. My mother's hair was darker than my own, only slightly. She smiled._

_"Luke." she said._

I collapsed onto the boulder in front of me. Luke stared at me, he lead me to a boulder to sit. "Stargaze. Lillian." He said. "Is that you?" I didn't answer. Han had known my mother. Leia seemed to already know me. Kylo recognized me immediately. I played a part in all this.

I finally met his eyes and uttered words that would change my life forever. "Dad?" 


	28. Our Last Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut Hut :)

I looked into Luke's... no my father's eyes. "Dad?" I asked. "I always thought it was you." He said. "But how? Mother said my father was gone." I said. "Your mother told a lot of mistruths." I looked at him confused.

"What you saw was real. Your mother was a Jedi. You were going to be trained as well. In my order, we decided to begin training padawans at age 10." My father said. "That was when your cousin, Ben came to us. You two were inseparable. That's why it scared me so much when I sensed the darkness in him." "So you thought the only good option was to get rid of me." I suggested. "No. I planned on helping Ben back to the light while you were away. I had never expected to fail him." Be he said that Ben failed him. Ben had said Luke tried to kill him. "But Ben told you his side already." He realized. "You and Rey." Thunder cracked as rain began to pour.

"It would make sense you can see him but her." He began to run down the mountain. I followed him. I made it to the hut faster. I got there as Rey reached out her hand. It was clear she didn't see me. Ben reached out his hand as well. Their fingertips brushed one another. They both gasped seeing visions of one another's past and future. Luke then ran up behind me, pushing me aside. "Dad." I warned. "Stop!" Luke shouted as they broke apart. The hut shattered around them. 

Rey looked to where Ben was and then back to us.

"It is true?" She demanded. "Did you try to murder him?" Luke didn't answer. "If you're lying about this, what else are you lying about?" I asked. "Why you sent me away." "What's going on?" Rey asked. Luke ignored us both. "Leave this island now!" "Stop!" Rey shouted as we ran after him. "Stop!" Rey shouted louder. She summoned her staff to her and smacked Luke over the back of the head. Luke fell to the ground. He looked up at us to see my worried face and Rey's angry one.

"Did you do it? Did you create Kylo Ren?" Luke then stood back up and summoned a metal pole that broke from a hut. It collided with her staff. I grabbed a stick. Rey swung her staff at my father as he dodged every blow. I wanted them to stop. I swung my stick as it caught Rey's arm, she yelped as she turned and charged at him again. The two battled one another. Suddenly Luke grabbed her staff and threw it somewhere else. Rey defenseless stretched out her hand as my family's lightsaber flew right to it. Rey turned on the saber as Luke fell over, catching himself with the force. Rey lowered the saber. I ran in-between them. "Rey." I began. "You need to know the truth." I wanted to tell her about how I was Luke's daughter, maybe it may get the truth out of him. "Lillian move." She demanded. "I want him to tell me the truth." Luke sighed.

"I lied to you both. Lillian, what I told you was true, but not entirely. I saw darkness. I'd sensed it building in him. I'd see it at moments during his training. But I didn't just see him turning. If he turned, you might as well." Rey glanced at me confused. Luke continued. "But then I looked inside and it was beyond what I ever imagined. Snoke had already turned his heart. He would bring destruction, and pain, and death and the end of everything I love because of what he will become. He knew who Mera was before the New Republic, he had just found out who his grandfather was. He wanted to be that. And for the briefest moment of pure instinct I thought I could stop it." I saw a vision of him activating a green saber. "It passed like a fleeting shadow. And I was left with shame and with consequence. And the last thing I saw were the eyes of a frightened boy whose master had failed him." He then looked to me. "Lillian, I never should have abandoned you. Maybe if I let you stay, your mother would have helped him. Who knows what a former emperor's apprentice would have done." 

My mother was once on the dark side. But my father must have turned her. Rey could see this as well.

"So we do that with Ben, bring him back to the light. You failed him by thinking his choice was made It wasn't. There is still conflict in him." Rey said. I could see it too. "If he turned from the dark side, that could shift the tide. This could be how we win." "This is not going to go the way you think." He said. "It is. Just now, when we touched hands. I saw his future. As solid as I'm seeing you. If I go to him, Ben Solo will turn." Rey said. I didn't want her to go. Maybe it wouldn't work. If Luke or Han couldn't turn him, how could Rey. "Don't do this." Luke said. Rey said nothing. She held out the lightsaber to him again. Luke simply looked away. "Then he is our last hope." Rey said as she turned and began to grab her things.

Our clothing was soaked. I just now realized her hair was down, brushing the top of her shoulders. My red hair hung limp, my usual red curls flat. We went back to the hut. Rey folded up the blanket that was around her shoulders. "Did Ben put it there?" I asked. She nodded. "Why won't you talk to me?" I asked. "Because, you refuse to help your family. You can sense the conflict in Ben but you don't want to come with me and save him." She challenged. "I want to help the resistance." I said. "That's the only reason I came here in the first place. Luke was supposed to be the person to help us. Even if you do bring him back to the light, the resistance won't accept this or we'll be in worse danger than before." I said. Rey seemed to consider my words. She instead walked out of the huts remains and onto the falcon. I watched as she flew away. Not even saying goodbye. 


	29. The Greatest Teacher

I walked back down to the beach where my escape pod was. I had left some of my things in the escape pod which I would need. I had expected Luke and I to leave in the Falcon. I doubted anyone would come back with us soon.

I sat in the downed pod as radio frequency came to life.

“ _Hopbett, come in. This is Dameron.”_ I grinned and answered the call. “How did you know I just sat down in this pod.” I asked. _“I’ve been trying to contact you the past few hours, Lilly.”_ He said. I muttered a sheepish apology before asking him about the resistance. “ _We have about 12 hours of fuel left, Leia’s still out of it. Finn and Rose have found a codebreaker.”_ He said. “You?” I sighed. “Rey left. Da- Luke doesn’t want to help the resistance or train us. She’s on her way to the supremacy now to face down the First Order herself. I’d go, but there’s no way off this rock.” I said. _“But Luke had to have a way to get there, ask him.”_ Poe suggested. “I would come and get you but-“ “I understand.” I said. _“And about earlier.”_ Poe suddenly said. I smiled. “I told you we would talk about it when I get back.” I said as the connection began to fizzle out. “But I did want to kiss you.” I said to the now dead line. I ran back up to the island to see my father. He held a flaming torch in his hand.

“Dad, what are you doing?” I asked. “I’m burning it down. The Jedi need to go Stargaze.” He said. “Maybe it doesn’t.” I replied. We then sensed a presence behind us. We turned to see a small green creature. It was once green but now had a transparent blue surrounding it. It looked old. Dad looked on in realization, knowing who this was.

“Master Yoda.” He said. “Young Skywalkers.” The ancient master Yoda said. “I'm ending all of this. The tree, the text, the Jedi. I'm going to burn it down.” Dad said. Dad turned back around as I continued to face the creature. Yoda looked on with all knowing eyes. Dad was at the base of it ready to burn it when suddenly lightning shot down, hitting the tree and blowing us back. I could see Yoda, laughing. I walked down to help dad up. Dad sat up and Yoda materialized next to him. “So it is time for the Jedi Order to end.” Dad said. “Time it is. For you to look at a pile of old books, hmmm?” Yoda mocked. “The sacred Jedi texts!” Dad exclaimed as the fire before us grew brighter. “Oh. Read them, have you?” Yoda suggested. Dad struggled to find his words. He obviously had never read them. Yoda moved closer to us, sitting down. “Yes, yes, yes. Wisdom they held, but that library contained nothing that the girl Rey does not already possess.” Rey, did she take the text in an effort to train herself? On Jakku, if you wanted something done, you would have to do it yourself. Dad and I looked to the burning tree, mine with realization and his in fear.

"Skywalkers, still looking to the horizon. Never here, now, hmmm?" Today then raised his walking stick, making us both on the head. "The need in front of your noses. Hmmm?" I wasn't sure what the master meant. "I was weak." Dad spoke. "Unwise." "Lost Ben Solo, you did. Lose Rey and your daughter, we must not." "I can't be what they need me to be. I'm not good enough to be a master, or a father." They spoke of me as if I wasn't there. "You are a good father. You sent me and Mother away out of fear, a call of bad judgement." Dad looked to me. He had expected me to be more distraught than the way I was. Heeded my words not, did you? Pass on what you have learned. Strength, mastery. But weakness, folly, failure, also. Yes, failure most of all. The greatest teacher, failure is." Yoda said. 

He sat between us. “Luke, we are what they grow beyond. That is the true burden of all masters.”

We all sat and watched as the fire dimmed. As did Yoda. Dad finally spoke.

“I have some warmer clothes for you and something else that will help you on your departure.” He said. “My what?” I asked. I assumed he had looked into my head. “You need to help Rey, the resistance. I can’t, but you can. They need a Skywalker.” “That’s not me.” Dad scoffed, tossing me a shirt. I went to one of the huts. The shirt was clearly his when he was young. It was a white tunic that I wrapped around me with my belt and rope. I pulled on Rey’s pants and my boots. My hair hung limp around me. Dad stood outside waiting for me. He beckoned me to follow him. I did to his hut. He pulled out a piece of stone and reached into a box. Two sabers laid in it. He grabbed one of them and handed it to me. I took it and flipped it on. We were suddenly bathed in green light.

“This was mine. I took down the empire with that, you do the same with the First Order.” He said as we went back out. I knew if I objected, he wouldn’t care. He stood next to me. He reached out and the water began to ripple. He grabbed my good hand, stretching to out in front of me. The weight was too much. I saw the top of an x-wing begin to peek out. I grunted at the weight. It rose in front of me. Dad grabbed it the rest of the way, landing it on the cliff.

“How do I do this?” I asked. “Find Rey and my nephew, turn him to the light if you can. There’s darkness in all of you. “You and Ben are the grandchildren of Darth Vader and Rey is of something even worse. Light can always snuff it out.” “But what is Rey?” I asked. "You’ll find out soon enough.” He opened the hatch for the x-wing. I climbed in with my things. “I love you Lillian. My stargaze.” I had a feeling this is the last time I would see him in person. “I love you too.” I said closing the hatch and beginning my journey as Lillian Skywalker. 


	30. A New Alliance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you don't like Reylo leave now.

**_THE SUPREMEACY_ **

I got to the feared ship quickly. I saw Rey's escape pod land. I landed on another practically empty hangar. I wrapped the still wet wrappings I wore earlier around my face as I made my way to the more crowded hangar. I saw a droid sliding around on the floor haphazardly, as if it was blind. I soon realized why as I brushed shoulders with officers who looked very much like Finn and Rose. I nodded in their direction as Finn shot a surprised glance my way. I saw an elevator rising. It contained Rey and my cousin. I saw a maintenance ladder near it. I climbed the ladder and opened a hatch. I leaped onto the still rising elevator. I was about to force my way in when Rey suddenly spoke.

"You don't have to do this. I feel the conflict in you. It's tearing you apart." Ben mostly ignored her glances his way. His features then softened as she turned and looked him in the eyes. "Ben, when we touched hands, I saw your future. Just the shape of it, but solid and clear." She took a few steps closer to him. They were practically chest to chest. "You will not bow before Snoke. You will turn. I'll help you. I saw it."

I glanced up, seeing the top of the shaft get closer. I had no other choice. I plunged the green blade through the top of the elevator. I landed inside to see their shocked faces. I saw that Rey was forced behind Ben. I supposed in an effort to protect her.

"Lillian?" They both said. "I'm here to do what I must." I said. "And what might that be cousin?" Ben asked, almost as if it was an insult. "Turn you back to the light and destroy the First Order, therefore helping the resistance." "You'll loose." He said. "I saw something too. Because of what I saw, I know when the moment comes, you'll be the one to turn. Both of you will." He then looked to Rey. "You'll stand with me. Rey, I saw who your parents are." I knew Rey's parents was something that always hurt her. I would have given up waiting but she had faith they would return. I could even see in her now that she wanted to return to the comfort of Jakku, putting her hair in her childhood buns and resume waiting.

Rey backed away from Ben and we both felt our backs collide with the doors that suddenly opened. Ben grabbed our arms and pulled us into the red throne room. Ben let go of Rey and carefully pushed her forward. He kept me at his side, forcing me to my knees.

"Well done, my good and faithful apprentice." Snoke spoke in his disgusting voice to Ben. "My faith in you is restored." He then looked to Rey and then me. "Young Rey. Welcome. You are a surprise as well Young Lillian Skywalker. If your parents' didn't do a good job of hiding you, perhaps you would have made an even better apprentice." He looked to Rey again, deactivating her cuffs. "Neverless, you are all mine now."

"Come closer, child. So much strength. Darkness rises, and light to meet it." Rey stood in her spot, not daring to move foward, do as the supreme leader wants. Snoke continued. "I warned my young apprentice that as he grew stronger, his equal in the light would rise. Skywalker.... I assumed. Wrongly." I felt my father's lightsaber leave my belt and set on the arm of the shiny throne along with my family lightsaber. Snoke grew tired of her not listening.

"Closer, I said." Rey suddenly moved forward, hut not in her own intuition. Snoke pulled her closer. "You underestimate the Skywalkers, and Ben Solo, and me." Rey said, her voice teetering on hate. "It will be your downfall." "Oh! Have you seen something? A weakness in my apprentice. Is that why you came?" Snoke realized. That's why we were both here. "Young fool. It was I who bridged your minds." Ben suddenly glanced up. I felt a shift in him. Rey gasped. I could tell they both thought this was some form of destiny, a belonging.

"I stoked Ren's conflicted soul. I knew he was not strong enough to hide it from you. And you were not wise enough to resist the bait." Snoke crackled. He moved Rey closer, caressing her face. "And now, you will give me Skywalker. Then I will kill you with the cruelest stroke."

"No!" Rey resisted. "Yes." Snoke argued back. He pushed Rey into the air, torturing information from her. "Give. Me. Everything." He snarled as Rey couldn't fight back his control no longer. Ben and I looked to where she was suspended in air screaming. 

A few moments later, Rey was dropped to the ground with a thud. She groaned in pain.

"Well, well, I did not expect Skywalker to be so wise." Snoke said. Ben's eyes narrowed at Snoke in rage. "We will give him and the Jedi Order the death he desires. After the Rebels are gone, we will go to his planet and obliterate the entire island. You, Ren, and Lillian will stand at my side, having Lillian pick up where Mera Jade left off, delivering the killing blow to the twins of Anakin Skywalker."

Rey stood up, extending her hand in an attempt to summon back our sabers. It did, only being circled around her. Ben moved me and him out of the way only for it to smack her in the back of the head. "Such spunk. Look here now." I suddenly felt myself lifted off my knees. Rey and I were pulled toward a monitor. On it, there were small transports being exploded. We felt each one of their deaths.

"The entire Resistance on those transports. Soon they will all be gone. For you, all is lost." He said. Rey then snarled. She fought his control and so did I. Rey summoned Ben's lightsaber to her and I pulled my blaster from the back of my pants. His red guards raised their weapons. "Ooh. And still that fiery spit of hope. You have the spirit of a true Jedi!" Rey and I charged at him. We were both pushed back. Ben's lightsaber fell from her hand. He swamis lightsaber spinning on the glossy floor. I could feel a resolve in him, as if he suddenly had a plan.

"And because of that, you must die." I was forced to Snoke's side as Rey was forced to her knees in front of Ben. He stood. "My worthy apprentice, son of darkness, heir apparent to Lord Vader." Snoke began. "Where there was conflict, I now sense resolve. Where there was weakness, strength. Complete your training, and fulfill your destiny." "I know what I have to do." Ben said. "Ben." Rey whispered. "Rey." He said even quieter. Snoke laughed again. "You think you can turn him? Pathetic child. I cannot be betrayed, I cannot be beaten. I see his mind, I see his every intent. Yes. I see him turning the lightsaber to strike true." Ben grabbed his lightsaber, twisting it in his hand. I saw my family's lightsaber turning on the arm of the throne. The blade was turned to face Snoke and he didn't even notice. And now, foolish child, he ignites it, and kills his true enemy!" There was a sound of a saber being extinguished and a body falling. I lept out of the way as the blue blade stuck through his middle.

I summoned my lightsaber to me. Ben moved his hand as the lightsaber went through Snoke to Rey's hand. Rey rose to her feet as Ben and I activated our green and red blades. The guards readied their weapons. The three of us nodded and turned, facing away from each other. The guards advanced. The bulk of them taking on me and Rey. We swung, fighting and killing with flashes of blue, green, and red. 

Rey backed into him, bracing her hand on his thigh to kill a guard. Battle was in full swing across the galaxy. 


	31. Time to Save

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lillian is the biggest Reylo shipper besides the force itself.

Finn and Rose had been caught. Resistance transports were fired upon. And the three of us fought for our lives.

Ben on his own took on 3 guards, his lightsaber colliding with the guards spikes. Rey and I took on 2. One broke free from her attacks and changed at me with a flaming spike. I looked over my shoulder to see Rey pulled foward by a weapon, only to break free diving under its arm and slicing up its back.

One down.

The guard I was up against took its spike and forced the burning part into my shoulder. I saw pieces of the guard Rey fought fly over my head. The guard suddenly pushed me back and stood before Rey and I. It broke apart its weapon to make into 2 flaming knives. It charged at us both as we took it on with a shout.

On the other side of the room, Ben fought one as another charged at his side. They both had spears. He swiftly brought his saber down, the cross guard caught in the two spears. Two more charged as he drove his lightsaber into one. Rey saw my concern. She nodded at me to help him. 

I ran across the room, doing a force backflip. Ben and I now stood back to back as 3 guards circled us. His eyes landed on Rey before we readied ourselves. I took on the one behind us. Ben sliced at it before turning to the other two in front. I drove my saber into the same one, slicing up to where it's body laid in half. I ran to the other one as Ben took the spear from it. It was an easy kill as I quickly sliced. I thought it to be dead. It wasn't as the guard pushed be back and charged at him again. Ben took it down quickly. We nodded at each other as a guard caught him off guard, causing him to drop his saber. The guard forced it's spear around his neck, to choke him. I looked at Rey to see the guard best her, trapping her arm in it's grasp. I ran to them as she struggled to break free. I raised my saber to strike the guard only for ey to drop the saber and slice the guard in two. We turned to still see Ben struggle. I took the saber from her hands. "Ben!" I shouted extinguishing the saber and tossing it across the room. He caught it and turned it on to go through the the guards eye. Ben pushed the guard off of him. I ran to the monitors.

"We need to save the fleet." I said, turning my head expecting to see Rey at my side. She wasn't. Instead her and Ben's eyes were locked on one another across the room, each with a newfound view of one another. If I didn't know any better I would think of them to be in love.

_Oh._

But we didn't have time for this right now. Rey then noticed me.

"Right. The fleet!" She said running to me. Ben could stop the attack. "Order them to stop firing. There's still time to save the fleet." We both turned back to see Ben cautiously approach the former throne of Snoke. "Ben?" Rey questioned heartbroken and confused. Ben meanwhile shook with anger.

"It's time to let old things die." My cousin said suddenly. "Snoke, Skywalker. The Sith, the Jedi, the Rebels, let it all die." He approached Rey as if I suddenly no longer existed in the room. He raised his hand. "Rey. I want you to join me." Rey looked at him no longer lustful, but in fear. He continued. "We can rule together and bring a new order to the galaxy." Rey shook her head. "Don't do this, Ben. Please don't go this way." Ben's demeanor shifted.

"No." He said. "No. You're still holding on! The both of you. Let go!" "Do you wanna know the truth about your parents? Or have you always known? And you've just hidden it away. You know the truth. " He said as tears began to flow down her face. "Ben stop." I said. "Legacies don't matter." "But they do." Ben said as he looked back to Rey. He got closer to her. "Say it." Anger cut through his voice before he shifted to a gentler tone. "Say it." I looked to Rey who was full on sobbing now.

"They were nobody." Rey finally said. I knew she wished he was in my place, with a famous Jedi father, a way to make an explanation for her powers easier.

"They were filthy junk traders who sold you off to keep you safe from the world. But you know that's not true, you saw them buying booze with the money that sold you with. They're dead in a paupers' grave in the Jakku desert." I knew by looking at Ben he had pulled the truth from her head. Meaning she had known since we found her.

"You knew the whole time." I said. "You knew they were gone but yet you kept us on Jakku for what? Corpses?" "I'm sorry." Rey said. "That doesn't cut it. You had my mother, she cared about you so much and you turned her away so you could hope some deadbeats would come back for you."

"Lillian." Ben said. "She doesn't have a place in this story." He looked back to her.

"You come from nothing. You're nothing. But not to me. Join me." Ben said as Rey stopped crying as her eyes darted up to his. He approached her with his hand outstretched. "Please."


	32. Half

I sucked in a breath as the room fell silent. Rey and Ben looked at each other with tears in their eyes. I was conflicted mostly. If Rey joined him, I would possibly never see her again. However, if he joined us, that was a different story. Slowly I saw Rey raise her hand. It then jetted forward, pulling her saber from his grasp. I stuck out my hand as well, hoping to summon it to me. It just hung in the air as I noticed Ben trying to take it as well.

The iconic lightsaber was trapped in the middle of us, trying to go 3 different directions. We began to struggle. The force suddenly pushed us back a bit but we still remained standing. I saw the lightsaber begin to shake, I felt the crystal inside begin to crack. I felt sweat pour down my face. Rey let out a yell as the effort suddenly began to be too much. It was too strong for all of us. 

Then there was a bright light that enveloped us as the lightsaber snapped in two, the haves flying in both Ben and Rey's direction. The force blew us back and the world got dark as I felt the ship we were on tear in half. Nothing was whole anymore.

...

I jerked awake suddenly. I felt the world around me to be warm as fire burned around me. The red torn walls were an indication of where I was. I was still in the throne room. Was I the first to awake? I then heard footsteps clicking against the tile. I quickly stood up, ignoring the blood rush to my head. I saw that Ben was here, but where was Rey? The halves of the saber were gone.

I stretched out my hand summoning my blaster and lightsaber. I clipped the lightsaber on my waist as the footsteps got closer. The doors opened only for me to see General Hux stride in. His pace suddenly quickened as he walked past me and to the body of Snoke, who fell to the floor with a smack. Hux then looked over his shoulder.

"Did you do this, scum?" Hux asked. I was confused. The one part I had in this was that I was in the room when it happened. I did kill the guards but Snoke was Ben's kill.

"No." I found myself saying, the words feeling wrong on my tongue. As if on cue, I saw Ben's body begin to stir. Hux reached into his jacket. I could see the shine of a blaster as my cousin jerked awake.

"Rey?" He said above a whisper. "What happened?" Hux asked as his voice laced with anger. The pieces in Ben's head begin to form, a lie connected. " The girl murdered Snoke." Ben said quickly as he stood up, staring out at the stars for a moment. He then turned to face me. "What happened?" He asked. I shook my head. I didn't know. Hux answered instead. "She took Snoke's escape craft." Without me. She left me, like on Ach-To.

"We know where she's going. Get all our forces down to that Resistance base. Let's finish this." Ben said with authority and he grabbed my arm. "Finish this? Who do you think you're talking to? You presumed to command my army? Our Supreme Leader is dead! " Hux exclaimed. Ben suddenly stood still. I saw a scowl form across his features. "We have no ruler!" Suddenly the air seemed as if it was sucked from the room. Hux's hands flew to his throat as he collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. I saw the way Ben's hand curled. He was choking him!

"The Supreme Leader is dead." Ben shouted at him. Ben just declared himself Supreme Leader. Was this why he killed Snoke? Not for me and Rey, but for himself?

"Long live the Supreme Leader." Hux choked out. Ben released him as Hux fell over, passing out. He grabbed my arm again, rougher this time and forced me on the elevator. We stepped out onto the floor below as fires rampaged through the ones below. The damage to the ship was massive. Bits of the cruiser and glass was strewn about.

"Ren?" A trooper asked. "What's the order?" Ben sighed. "Supreme leader Snoke is dead, he appointed me leader as his dying breath. The scavenger killed him." "Do we hunt her down?" An officer asked. This officer was an older man.

"No officer Pryde." Ben said. "Put a bounty out, but I want her alive." Pryde nodded. "Of her?" Pryde asked looking to me. Ben opened his mouth to answer. But I had already formed a plan of my own. "I came willingly." I spoke. "I commit myself to the First Order." 


	33. Ridiculous

"Why surrender?" Ben asked me once we were out of earshot. "I want to." I said. "And you have another motive." He chimed in. "To protect the resistance, save the scavenger." "Really." I said annoyed. "You saved her quite well from Snoke, from me in the elevator, when you interrogated her. She said you felt like you would never hurt her." "You're being ridiculous." He said. "No you are. You love Rey don't you."

Ben stopped. He guided me around a corridor, towards the direction of the hangar where the ships were kept.

"Don't say that ever again. I don't love Rey. You cannot love as a Jedi."His words were quiet. I knew he was lying, of course he would deny it. I was about to retort back when I was pushed onto a ship. Hux was on the ship as well.

"I see you've recovered General." Ben sassed. "I have, no thanks to your friend." Hux said. Once they were sure the stormtroopers were on the ships we took off to Crait.

**_CRAIT_ **

We exited hyperspace onto the mineral planet of Crait. I would have admired it's beauty if I wasn't trying to quietly form a plan in my head. A dark cloak was draped around my shoulders in an effort to hide my dark clothing and my lightsaber still attached to me. There was a battering ram cannon screwed into the ground. I could see resistance soldiers running frantic. Suddenly crafts emerged from the base, moving towards us. Red sparks of salt moved beneath them. Puffs of red appeared at the legs of AT-AT's. Finally Hux looked over his shoulder at Ben.

"13 incoming light craft. Shall we hold until we clear them?" Hux asked. I could just hear his dislike if Ben in his voice alone. "No. The Resistance is in that mine. Push through." Ben said. "To kill?" I asked. "To take." He responded. Of course, he didn't want Leia dead.

The AT-ATs advanced. The ship we were on moved with them. Tie-fighters joined in as well, blasting at my friends below. I could sense them beginning to move in, go for the kill as a blast threw them off. The Millennium Falcon soared above. I could sense Rey inside, manning the blasters. Ben's face shifted and ran forward.

"Blow that piece of junk out of the sky!" Ben shouted. "All fighters!" Hux ordered his army. It would make sense. Rey would use the falcon to drive the battle and attacks from the resistance onto her. The speeders got closer. The blaster warmed.

Ben ran forward, realizing what Rey was doing. "All firepower on those speeders!" Ben ordered. "Concentrate all fire on the speeders!" Hux said but louder. 

I bit my lip to stifle a laugh at Ben stared at his general, heavily annoyed.

The brigades continued. Speeders began to implode, some broke off. All but one. I knew who it was. Finn. I could see the cannon fire, shooting out a beam of light at the base. I saw the speeder disappear from sight as another flew down. Probably Rose in an effort to save him.

A final blast was fired at the base. The door had cracked open. Ben spoke low.

"General Hux, advance." He said. "No quarter. No prisoners." He lied. I felt the hope in my fizzle out, as I sensed in Leia. Then the hope swelled again. I could sense him walking into the base. _Dad._

I hid my smile. Words began to echo in my head: _"No one's ever really gone."_ I saw Ben stiffen, anger clouded him once more as Dad stepped onto the field. Ben ordered everything to stop moving.

"I want every gun we have to fire on that man." Ben said. The ones at the control panel looked at him uncertain. Hux raised a brow. "Do it." Ben said as the loud blasts began. Red smoke obscuring him. This was my chance. I backed up to the back of the ship. I hit the word buttons which I assumed opened the hatch. They would notice the rush of air. Neverless, I opened the hatch. I jumped as Hux ran to my direction and Ben looked over his shoulder.

When I hit the planet, I felt the air knocked out of me, feeling bruises form. I had probably broken my ribs but at this point I didn't care. The firing stopped as I made my way to him. My father looked different. His hair was shorter, lighter and not as grey. He also looked to be more in shape. This was him but yet it wasn't. He had also survived the blasts, brushing salt from his shoulder. Ben's ship lowered.

"Dad no." I said realizing what was happening. He projected himself here. "Dad." The ship opened and Ben stepped out. I felt a force blow me back. I smacked against a wall, falling to the floor with a groan. 


	34. Eros

I felt Leia at my side first. "Lillian, are you alright." She asked. I smiled. "Yes Aunt Leia." I said quietly. Leia nodded. I saw Poe and Finn running to help me up. They did.

I hugged them. We broke apart. Realization flooded Poe as we broke apart quickly.

"He's doing this for a reason. He's stalling so we can escape." Poe said. "Escape? He's one man against an army. We have to help him, we have to fight." Finn said walking forward. Poe put out a hand in front of him, stopping him. "No. We are the spark that'll light the fire that will burn the First Order down. Skywalker's doing this so we can survive." Poe said. Being in charge looked good on him.

"There's gotta be a way out of this mine. Hell, how did he get in here?" "Sir, it is possible that a natural unmapped opening exists." C3P0 said. "But this facility is such a maze of endless tunnels that the odds of finding an exit are-" The gold droid began to list the odds as we noticed the lack of crystal foxes and quiet. Poe hushed the droid who continued to talk over him. "Shut up!" He finally said as 3P0 quieted. "Listen." "My audio sensors no longer detect-"

"Exactly." "Where'd the crystal critters go?" Finn asked as I made my way over to them. We looked at the empty base before us. One of the foxes stood in a corridor before running forward. "Follow me." Poe said. All eyes went to my aunt. She rolled her eyes and looked behind her. "What are you looking at me for? Follow him." She said. Poe nodded and we began to walk forward.

"Wait." I found myself saying. Poe looked to me. I hooked my hands behind his neck and kissed him hard. I pulled away to see a stunned Poe staring back at me. "I did say we would talk when I got back." I reminded him with a smile. 

I unhooked my saber and activated it as we entered the dark cave that the critter ran in. We followed it, running as fast as we could. "This way." Poe shouted as we ran down another cavern. We were quickly met with a wall of rocks that the critter just slipped through.

"No." Poe said. But I could sense something beyond the wall. Rey. I raised my hand trying to make the rocks move but I soon lost focus as words began to echo in my head again.

_"The Resistance is dead. The war is over. And when I kill you, I will have killed the last Jedi." Ben shouted. "Amazing. Every word of what you just said was wrong." Dad spoke._

Rocks began to float before us. Light shrouded us as I switched my saber off.

_"The war is just beginning. And I will not be the last Jedi."_

The rocks lifted away as I saw Rey again. 

She looked around amazed as the rocks hovered around her. Finn and I ran to her. Rey allowed them to fall as she embraced Finn and me.

_"I'll destroy her, Lillian and you, and all of it." Ben said. He wouldn't. I saw how he protected us from Snoke and the First Order. Our death wouldn't come from him. Something far more sinister would do that._

Rey let go of us as we made our way to the Falcon. We boarded the ship. I helped Finn lay Rose on one of the bunks I went back out to find Rey but only feel an ache in my chest. Leia felt it. Ben felt it. Rey had felt it.

Luke Skywalker was dead. 


	35. Shut Out

I had felt my father pass on through the force. I entered the falcon, not really caring at the moment, too lost in grief. Then I saw it. The rush if air signaled the bond. I walked back out to where Rey stood in one of the corridors of the ship, rushing people to safety. She had felt it as well, but Snoke had created their bond. This was impossible.

_Ben Solo strided in the Resistance base, missing us only by a few minutes. He crouched down on the floor to pick something up, then his head shot up. His and Rey’s eyes met. Ben opened his mouth, as if to say something but then shut it. Rey suddenly looked on at him in anger and disappointment._ _She raised her hand shutting the ramp and him out._

The bond ended so suddenly. Too quick. I looked at her.

“It’s what has to be done Lilly.” She said but I couldn’t help but sense the twinge of sadness in her. We walked back to everyone only to have BB-8 scurry up to us. Rey smiled, crouching down and fixing it’s purposely bent antenna. I noticed Poe approach us out of the corner of my eye. BB-8 chirped at the sight of it’s master. Rey saw this and stood up.

“Hi.” Poe said. Rey smiled and said it back. “I’m Poe.” He said. Rey looked to me and then back at him. “I’m Rey.” She replied. Poe then took my hand. “I know.” He said. He kissed my forehead. Rey stepped away to give us privacy. Poe and I then approached Finn, who was covering an unconscious Rose with a blanket.

I briefly glanced into the drawer to see the Jedi text’s from Ach-To sitting in their as if they belonged. I felt eyes on me as I noticed Rey looking at us. She held the severed halves of the saber in her hands. I could tell she wasn’t thinking about us. She was thinking about Ben, she had failed in bringing him back. Only he could bring himself back now. Leia approached her. I excused myself and joined them.

Leia looked at Rey with sadness but yet knowing. I laid a hand on her shoulder and sat on the floor next to her.

“Luke is gone. I felt it. But it wasn't sadness or pain.” Rey began. “It was peace and purpose.” “I felt it, too.” Leia added. I lowered my head. I was still feeling it. “I’m sorry to you both.” Rey said. “But how do we build a Rebellion from this?” Leia reached out a hand and laid it on top of Rey’s.

"We have everything we need.” Leia said before standing up. I jumped up to keep her upright. She pushed me aside. “Before we head to our base. I have someplace I want to show my niece.” Leia laid a hand on my shoulder. Their were a few murmurs and gasps through the rebels. Leia silenced them and looked to Chewie.

“Plot a course to Naboo.” 


	36. Naboo

I felt the ship lurch forward as we traveled across the galaxy. I approached Finn and Poe. Before they has the chance to say anything, I spoke.

"I was going to tell you, I was going to wait when everyone wasn't around." I quickly apologized. "It's ok." Poe said hugging me. "Somehow, I've always known." Finn said. Is he force sensitive? I nodded, in thanks for understanding. Rey then suddenly approached us. She reached into a drawer, pulling out one of the texts.

"So you did take them from the island." I realized. She nodded. She skimmed the pages before landing on a page. She looked to Rose.

"This may help her." Rey spoke, showing us the page. "But I thought force healing was something of the Sith?" I asked. I then noticed messy writing on the side of the page, almost as a footnote. "It says it was once something of the Jedi but the Sith took that power and claimed it as their own." Rey read. "But we don't have Sith to worry about. They're gone." I felt almost as of she was wrong. Rey looked to Finn.

"I can try, if that's alright." Finn nodded. Rey took a breath and placed a hand on Rey's shoulder. We saw something remarkable. The scrapes on Rose's face began to disappear as she took a shaky breath and sat up. Finn quickly embraced her and kissed her cheek. Rose scanned the ship and then looked to Rey.

"Oh my force! You're her, You're Rey!" Rose said excitedly. Rey nodded. "And you must be Rose." Rey said. Rose giddily smiled before her eyes looked outside of the ship. "Where are we going?" I heard footsteps behind us.

"Naboo. It's where my mother was from." Leia told us. "Queen Amidala." Rey said. Leia nodded as the ship jerked to a halt. We had arrived.

**_NABOO_ **

Leia began to walk away and I followed her along with the rest of the resistance. We left the Falcon to find ourselves in a lush, green field. 

"Stretch your legs." Leia instructed. "We won't be long." They nodded as my aunt and I approached a stone building. It was beautiful. It almost looked like a cathedral as the sun shone against the stained glass. Leia tapped in a code on the keypad next to the doors as they opened. I followed her inside seeing only a body encased in stone, still looking as if she died yesterday.

"She's beautiful, but she was sad. I saw it." I said. "As did I." Leia responded. "The only memory I have of her was when I was born, she lost the will to live when my father fell to the dark side." Leia sat down on a stone bench beside the casket. I sat next to her.

"I was removed from the senate when the truth was revealed that Luke and I were the children of Darth Vader. I hated that. I never even got to tell my son or you the truth of your grandfather. Ben found out as the tabloids did. I guess that was just another reason for him to resent us." "How did he turn?" I asked. I knew of the final push Luke did but not before. "I had sensed it in him even when I was still pregnant. Snoke wormed his way in his mind way back then. Whatever happened with Luke and the temple was the final straw." Leia then looked back to her mother.

"But after I found out about my father, I decided to discover who my mother was. Padme was the politician I could only dream of being. And I can sense that same spirit in you." Leia added. She looked over her shoulder to see a black feathered headdress. I walked over to it and pulled 2 feather free. I heard onto them as we left the tomb and headed to the palace, where the rest of the resistance was waiting.

As we walked up through the palace, we passed rooms. One appeared to be decorated for a baby. The gathering of dust had me consider it was for my father and aunt, before my grandfather turned. I saw paintings line the walls. One was of the my grandmother herself, looking a beautiful as ever. I saw Rey looking at the paintings as well. She stood frozen in front of one of an older man. I recognized him. It was somewhat difficult to do, he was left scarred and deformed after an attack before rising to power. The great Emperor Palpatine. I noticed Leia calling us back to the ship as we made our way back.

I passed another room with a wardrobe and a beautiful sunset dress inside with silver lining the collar. I stepped in. Leia was soon at my side.

"I always hoped my granddaughter would wear this." Leia said. "I don't think that will happen now." If only she knew how Rey and Ben felt about one another. "Perhaps my niece could." She smiled as I ran my hand against the silky fabric. "Let's get back to the Falcon. Ajan-Kloss is waiting." 


	37. At Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Palpatine is here

_**AJAN-KLOSS, 35 ABY** _

_I felt like I was drowning. I knew this was a dream but it felt so real. I trapped in the tossing waves. Voices screaming my name moved around me. I could hear sabers clashing among the waves. I could see the faint outline of the death star II among the waves._ _Then it sucked me under._

_"Skywalker." a sinister voice said. "Finish my journey." The voices of my mother and Leia said._

_I was suddenly in a desert, the sun warming my cold, wet clothes. I could see Rey and Ben, pulling at a ship in the air. Lightning then shot out of Rey's hands._

_"At last." The voice said once more. "I waisted time with him when you and the scavenger were under my nose." Lightning shot down, nearly missing me. I wasn't even in the desert anymore. I was in a dark place, not even sure where._

_I turned to see a figure before me in all black and it's skin was ghostly white._

_"I've waited so long for the daughter of my apprentice and Skywalker to come to me." He said. "I didn't come to you." I argued back. "So why are you here?" He seemed to float down to me. "Why did your mother, allow me to be here?" "She didn't." I argued back to the ghost._

_Lightning struck again. It illuminated his face. I knew who I was speaking to now. Emperor Palpatine himself. Palpatine grinned wickedly. His plans seemed to already be in motion._

_"No!" I screamed._

"Lillian!" Poe exclaimed as my eyes snapped open. "Are you alright?" I wrapped the blanket of the bed we shared around me. I didn't know what to say. I felt his hand brush my face. I didn't even realize the tears running down my face. I shook my head.

"No." I finally said. "Something." I struggled to find my words. Poe didn't understand the force as I did. "Something unnatural has happened." Poe looked confused. "What does that mean?" "I think the Sith survived."

...

The following day continued as if dreams didn't plague me. I could tell Poe was worried. We had begun what other cultures call dating.

I went to the mess hall on our base and sat beside Rey, Finn, and Rose. Finn and Rose briefly dated for a bit but called it quits after a couple of galactic standard months. They still remained friends, which is what I was grateful for. Rey had begun her training again, this time by Leia.

In all hours of the day, Resistance fighters would return bloody and bruised from battle. I would accompany them occasionally. I felt as if I took after my father, running into battle headfirst. I then felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Rey asked. "Yes." I lied. Rey frowned. I noticed her hair was back in 3 buns. The way she wore it on Jakku. "For training." Rey replied. I couldn't tell if she was lying or not. Then a crackle on our systems that make us all jump. I saw Leia walk out of the mess hall and out to the forest. Rey and I, sensing a disturbance, followed her.

"It's." Rey began. "Something unnatural." I finished as a voice began to boom around us, across the galaxy.

 _"At last the work of generations is complete."_ The late Emperor spoke. _"The great error is corrected."_ Poe and Finn ran out to join us. I embraced the pull on the force. I could sense my cousin was a shocked as we were.

 _"The day of victory is at hand."_ At this point, I could practically see my mother pulling what was left of Palpatine's body into a cloning machine. Making the Sith whole again.

_"The day of revenge. The day of the Sith!"_


	38. The Rise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So uh, I didn't really like The Rise of Skywalker. Honestly, when I first started writing this, I wanted to do a retelling of the sequel trilogy because I love it and Star Wars. Unfortunately, I didn't like a majority of the decisions made in The Rise of Skywalker so I will be changing some things. If you don't like this, leave. If you want to stay, then you're in for an adventure! Enjoy!

The dead speak! The galaxy has heard a mysterious broadcast, a threat of **revenge** in the sinister voice of the late **Emperor Palpatine**. **General Leia Organa** dispatches secret agents to gather intelligence, while **Rey** , the last hope of the Jedi, and **Lillian Skywalker** train for battle against the diabolical **First Order**. Meanwhile, Supreme Leader **Kylo Ren** rages in search of the phantom Emperor, determined to destroy any threat to his power....


	39. Too Many Planets

Another day and yet another night. I dreamed of a dark place. But soon the dark place was replaced with something warm. Red and warm.

_I was no longer surrounded by the green jungle of Ajan Kloss, but of the lava and white ash of Mustafar. I could see my cousin fighting through the sparks. Once he cut through the Vader worshippers, he pushed back a piece of concrete, I approached him slowly and carefully as he pulled a triangular object free._

_"Is this-" I began. "A dream, no." Ben replied._

I awoke with a start. I looked over my shoulder surprised to still see Poe asleep on his side of the bed. I carefully crept out of bed and slid on my robe. I grabbed my father's saber for a good measure. I felt off. Something in the force was off. Yes, the force was no longer balanced since my Grandfather died but yet odd. I almost jumped out of my skin when Ben suddenly appeared at my side again.

"Come with me." He said with his voice above a whisper. "Where?" I asked. "Exegol." He replied laying a hand on my shoulder.

_My surroundings shifted and that was when I ignited the lightsaber. Ben's cracking red blade was switched on as well._

_He wanted me to see this place as well. Is this where the object from Mustafar lead him? Lightning snapped around me illuminating our faces. He began to move forward towards a building as he grabbed my hand pulling me along with him._

_"Why do you want me to see this?" I asked. "I just want to know if the broadcast was true." Ben said. "If the man who destroyed our family lives."_

_We entered the structure as I retorted to holding his cape. We stepped on a platform that lowered us down. I eyed the Sith statues as we made our was down. As we reached the ground a sinister voice echoed._

_"At last." Palpatine crooned. Lightning cracked again. "Snoke trained you well." "I killed Snoke." Ben retorted back. "I'll kill you." I could hear the wicked grin in Emperor Palpatine's voice. "My boy. I made Snoke." These words made him stop in his tracks. I nearly collided into is back. "I have been every voice." Palpatine began. "You have ever heard." Snoke continued. "Inside your head." Our grandfather, Darth Vader, finished._

_We approached a clearing to see a something that resembled a lab._

_Sith cultists worked around the tanks stuffed with human shaped figures. We then saw something else that stunned us both. It was Snoke, well multiple versions dumped into a tank. Snoke was never even real. He was a clone, a knifing clone._

_"The First Order was just the beginning. I will give you so much more." "You'll die first." Ben said with a newfound anger. He peered into the tanks, seeing more of the clones lying about. "I have died before." He said as we spun around. Lightning continued to flash as a hooded figure attached to a crane became visible to us._

_"The dark side of the force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural." Palpatine said as the lights illuminated his ghostly white face and milky white eyes. Ben and I reacted quickly. The tips of our sabers pointed at his evil, wrinkly face._

_"What could you give me?" Ben asked. He was the supreme leader, what could the Emperor even give? "Everything." The Emperor saidTo you both. To my new apprentice." "No." I said back. "Yes." Palpatine said as he raised his bony fingers. We heard noises and cracks beneath our feet. Ancient star destroyers emerged from ice surrounding the structure we were in. I felt trapped. My bond with Ben brought me here. Would it keep me here?_

_"A new empire." Palpatine said as the ships stopped in midair. "The might of the final order will soon be ready. It will be yours if you do as I ask. Kill the girl. End the Jedi and become what your grandfather and mother could not." Ben then lowered his lightsaber. I kept mine where it was. "You both will rule all the galaxy as the new emperor and his bounty huntress and apprentice. But beware she is not who you think she is." Ben and I glanced at one another. Was Rey not a nobody?_

_"Who is she?" Ben asked as another smile crossed the old man's face. The emperor opened his mouth to speak as a force pushed me back._

I was back on Ajan Kloss. The nightmare or vision, whatever it may be. Was over. I was now in the middle of the base as dawn rose over the lush trees. I saw Poe run up to me. Rey and Finn was with him.

"Where were you?" Poe asked with an edge in his voice. "What do you mean?" I asked back. "I was here. I couldn't sleep." "Lilly, Rey said. "You were gone for 5 hours. We've been looking for you. We put the mission on hold for you." I was stunned. I guess my face showed it.

"Yon don't look ok. You look like you've seen a ghost." Finn said. I didn't respond. "So it is true." Rey said. I nodded. She hugged me and helped me back to my room. I knew what she wanted to talk about.

"Ben showed you, didn't he." Rey said once we were alone. I nodded and cried into her shoulder. She then lifted my head from her. "We won't let him win." Rey said. "But what about Ben?" I asked. "What about him?" Rey asked with a slight blush arriving on her cheeks. "He made his choice." Rey said as I began to grab clothes from my closet.

"I'm going to train with Leia if you don't feel up to the mission." She suggested as she approached the doorway. "No. We need to find the spy, stop the emperor. I'll go. You stay. Do what you're best at." I snapped as I stepped into the fresher to wash myself and change.

I stepped out and put on a deep blue top with the shoulders cut out. The neck on the top moved up my neck with blue wraps around me. A black belt secured it together with grey pants and boots. I slipped on a black glove over my metal hand. Unfortunately, the synthetic skin didn't stay long as it was starting to peel away. I clipped my lightsaber and blaster to my belt and approached the falcon. Poe, Finn, and Chewie were already on board. Rose and an alien slug, Klaud, worked at the sparking panels. We approached the cockpit as I slid into the pilot seat. We took off, leaving the green planet behind to find that spy. 


	40. Lightspeed Skipping

After jumping to lightspeed, it was just a smooth coast to the ice planet. Finn, Poe, Chewie, and I slid out of our seats. Finn, Poe, and Chewie began a game of dejarik. Rose joined them, living Klaud to work alone on the panels. I stayed standing and fished around for the marksman training remote. I soon found it and activated it.

The object began to fire before I even activated the lightsaber. I dodged the attacks effortlessly.

Meanwhile, Chewie leaned over the table as Finn and Poe eyed him suspiciously. Rose nudged the wookie to get him to make a move. I rolled my eyes. It wasn't smart to upset a wookie.

"You ever gonna go?" Poe finally asked. "He can't beat us every time." Finn mumbled back.

"Apparently he does." Rose responded. "How does he do it?" Finn asked. "This guy right here. It's because he cheats." Poe answered. Chewie roared in protest causing me to flinch and allow the remote to blast me in the shoulder. I flicked off the saber in annoyance as Poe shot me an apologetic look.

"I'm kidding." Poe said. "Come on take your time." Finn spoke. "You're 250 years old, of course you're better than us." Poe followed. Rose and I tried to stifle our laughs. I knew Chewie wasn't buying it.

"You're just taking forever and that's why we think you're cheating." Finn said as an alarm rang out from the cockpit.

"Don't worry." Poe said. "We're not going to turn it off." Finn said. Chewie seemed to believe them as he ran to the cockpit.

"He's cheating." Rose said as he was out of earshot. "Definitely." Poe said. Finn nodded shutting off the game.

"Klaud, I hoped you fixed that surge." Rose said as she returned to help Klaud. Klaud mumbled a response as Poe got to the cockpit before I had the chance to move. I simply slid into the seat behind him.

"T minus 5." Poe said into the coms. Finn ran to the opening in the top of the ship. A long cord to attach to R2 was fed through. "This could be big Artoo." Finn told the droid as it began to transfer the message to my aunt. We then heard a roar of tie fighters approach. Our heads in the cockpit snapped to the incoming ships.

"Finn!" I shouted. "We're about to be cooked." "We're almost there" Finn shouted back. "Do we really have to yell?!" Rose complained. A few moments of silence and then another shout.

"Guys, we got it." Finn shouted back. "How do we thank you?" He asked the alien who gave him the information. "Win the war." He said as the opening closed. Immediately, Poe yanked down the lever and jumped us to lightspeed. The fighters were on our tail. Finn and Rose went down to the gunners as Klaud joined us.

The ship jerked upwards, scraping against a wall of ice as blaster bolts tinged against the back. Chewie growled in annoyance, wanting me or Rey to fly the ship.

"I know. I know." Poe chided as the fire continued. I supposed Finn and Rose got in their position as the firing was directed back at the ties, taking out several. We heard Finn cheer through the comms.

 _"Alright, get us back to base."_ Finn said into the comms. Poe nodded as an ice wall blocked our path. "Don't try it." I said. "Too late. How thick do you think that ice wall is?" Poe said as he switched on lightspeed. Chewie growled in confusion and protest as we shattered the ice and were deposited into space. Unfortunately, the remaining ships were on our tail. Lightspeed tracking was still a thing we couldn't crack.

We lightspeed jumped again, almost crashing on a planet that looked like Mustafar but with spikes lining the planet. Poe maneuvered in-between them, taking out ties as we went. Finn and Rose ran into the cockpit. "Poe?" Finn said. "I know." He said as he activated lightspeed again.

"What are you doing?" Rose asked. "Lightspeed skipping." Poe answered as if this wouldn't destroy the ship. Sparks came from the control panel. "How do you know how to do that?" Finn asked. Poe didn't answer as we entered another planet that resembled Bespen. He moved us around the pillars, taking out all ties but 2. Chewie growled again.

"Rey wouldn't do this." I translated for the wookie. "Well Rey isn't here is she?" Poe replied annoyed. He activated lightspeed as we entered a green smoke filled planet. We could hardly see in front of us. Then a monster emerged from the smoke, it's mouth wide open. We all screamed. "Hold on!" Poe shouted as he activated lightspeed one final time as the monster swallowed the ties behind us whole. We traveled slowly this time. I then felt a pull.

My cousin placed his hand on our grandfather's melted helmet and closed his eyes. I could sense Rey now, snapping her head forward. Images began to quickly form in front of us.

_"No!" Rey's child voice screamed. A ship flying away and a mother with 3 buns in her hair held child Rey close. Was this Rey's mother. Then a combination on mine and Rey's voice mentally screamed out.  
_

_"Join me." Ben spoke to her in the throne room as half of Snoke's body slumped. "Join me." The voice of Vader said. He had said this to me father. Suddenly my father's face as I knew him appeared on the cliff of Ach-To. He removed his hood to revel his frightening sith yellow eyes. More images appeared. My mother standing at Palpatine's side but then it wasn't her. It was me. Then that image went away and showed us a woman on his throne. The woman was Rey, all dressed in black with a double edged saber at her side. Her eyes were the same as Palpatine's, a milky white. I decided to push back on them._

_"Ben!" A combination of my aunt and uncle's voices shouted. I saw my cousin on Mustafar shake his head. "You killed him." My father's voice said. The image of Han approaching his son on Starkiller Base and them him falling with a new saber hole in his chest. I could sense the conflict grow in both Rey and Ben as the vision stopped._

I shook my head as I felt the ship land at the base. I could hardly catch my breath. I then felt Poe grab my hands. "Are you ok?" He asked. I nodded and plastered on a fake smile. Poe nodded. Then the smell of smoke filled my nose. He and I glanced at each other. The ship was on fire. 


	41. Arguments and Phantoms

**AJAN KLOSS**

Finn, Rose, Chewie, Poe and I ran off the ship to see some members with buckets of water run by. I then noticed Rey, looking almost angelic in her white training gear. Her eyes scanned the ship in worry.

“It’s on fire.” Poe said as we made out way to her. “All of it. It’s on fire.” “They have eyes.” I said. I noticed Rose break off and run to her best friend Lieutenant Connix.

“Is there a spy?” Rey asked. “We really could’ve used your help out there.” Poe suggested, as he did each time she didn’t go on a mission with is. Rey rolled her eyes. “How did it go?” She asked me. “Not good.” I simply said. “Really bad actually.” Poe replied. She then looked back to the ship, shaking her head.

“Han’s ship?” Rey wondered. Poe and I then looked to BB-8, who had a big piece of metal stripped off its front. “What did you do to my droid?” Poe asked her. “Our droid.” I corrected. I was ignored, as I often was when they would argue. “What did you do to the falcon?” Rey asked. I shot a sympathetic look to Finn.

"Falcon's in a lot better shape than he is." Poe argued. "Beebee Ate isn't on fire." Rey retorted as she gestured to the old burning ship. "What's left of him isn't on fire." Poe said.

“Oh force.” I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Tell me what happened.” Rey demanded. “You tell me first.” Poe demanded back. Rey plastered on a fake smile. “You know what you are? You’re difficult. You’re a difficult man.” Rey said. “Honestly Lillian out of all the men in the galaxy and you had to pick him.” I shot her an offended look. “You.” Poe began but finished with an annoyed groan. He walked past Rey and went to tend to his droid.

“Rey.” Finn said running to hug her. “You made it back.” Rey said. “Barely.” Finn added. “Oh please. You’re always great with the cannons.” I added. Finn smiled but then Rey redirected his attention. “Bad mood?” Rey then asked. “Me?” Finn asked. “No. Him.” She said pointing her thumb at my boyfriend. “Always.” Finn said in a singsong voice. “Do we have a spy?” Rey asked him. Before Finn could answer Chewie roared by the ship. Rey turned around, annoyed again.

“You lightspeed skipped?” Rey accused Poe. “You dropped a tree on him?” Poe accused right back. “I got distracted.” Rey said. “Both alternators are down.” “Oh, I know. I was there.” Poe said. Finn and I glanced at each other as we moved in to break up their fight.

“Every time.” Finn mumbled. I nodded.

“You can’t lightspeed skip the falcon!” Rey said as her voice got louder. “Well you actually can.” Poe said back. “Come on, we just landed.” I complained. “What happened?” Rey asked. I opened my mouth to speak but shut it as Poe answered for me. “Bad news, that’s what happened.” “So there is no spy?” Rey said annoyed. “No. There is a spy.” Poe said. “Did we make contact or not?” Rey shouted.

“There’s a mole in the First Order and he sent us a message.” Finn said. Rey and I stopped for a moment. Who could this spy be. Could it be Ben? Poe then turned back around. “You dropped a tree on him.” Poe repeated. Rey was very much irritated with him. I just wished they got along. The woman I saw as my sister and the man I loved.

“You blew both sub alternators.” Rey reminded him. Finn and I stood between them. “You should have gone with us.” Poe said.

“Guys.” Finn began.

“You know I want to be out there with you.” Rey said.

“They’re impossible aren’t they.” I said to Finn. “Yes they are.” Finn said as we continued to attempt and break them up.

“But you’re not.” Poe said. “You’re here training? For what? You’re one of the best fighters we have.” He was right now. Finn and I both knew that. “We need you out there.” Poe said as he waked away to speak to Leia.

“It’s true.” Finn said as Rey let out a sigh. Finn walked off as well. I looked at Rey and we shared a knowing glance “What’s the message?” She asked.

…

It was nearly nightfall when we were dressed on the message the spy left.

“We decoded the message on the First Order spy and it conforms the worst.” Poe said. “Somehow, Palpatine returned. My eyes drifted to Leia, who gave me a worried glance. I already knew of his survival but hearing it from the resistance still shook me to my core.

“Wait, do we believe this?” Rose asked. “How can it be?” The son of Admiral Ackbar, Junior spoke. “Cloning. Secrets only the sith and old republic knew.” Beaumont, a new recruit said.

“He’s been planning his revenge.” Poe began. “His followers have been building something for years. The largest fleet the galaxy has ever known. He calls it the Final Order. In sixteen hours, attacks on all free worlds begin. The Emperor and his fleet have been hiding in the unknown regions, on a world called Exegol.”I saw Rey’s face glaze over in thought.

“Exegol does not appear on any star chart. But legend describe it as a hidden world of the Sith.” C3PO said as R2 shook its small metal body in fear. Rey then turned on her heels and walked off. I ran after her.

I found her at a table, which doubled as her workshop. She pulled out a box beneath it.

“The texts?” I asked. “You father did something.” Rey said as we ran back to the group.

“So Palpatine’s been out there all the time, pulling the strings.” Poe said to the general. Leia sighed, knowing now it was Palpatine who made his way into her son’s mind. “Always, in the shadows from the very beginning.” Leia spoke.

“If we want to stop him, we must find him.” Maz Kanata said as we ran back in. “We must find Exegol.”

“General.” Rey said. “Can we speak with you?” Leia nodded and followed us to a nearby tent. 


	42. Names

“I know how to get to Exegol.” Rey said as soon as we were alone. “Tell me.” Aunt Leia said quickly. “Your brother searched for it for a long time, he nearly found it.” Rey then looked at the page in the texts. “There are deciphers here I can’t read. But her said to get there you need one of these. A sith wayfinder.” She turned the book so we could see the illustration she was pointing to. Ben had one just like it. We could steal it from him.

“They’re compasses that lead the way to Exegol.” Rey said before turning to face a very upset Leia. “This is to stop what is coming.” I reassured her. “Lillian and I need to finish what Luke started. Find Exegol, find the emperor.”

“No.” Leia simply said. “I don’t want to go without your blessing, but we will.” Rey spoke ignoring Leia’s disappointed stare. To her I was her niece but Rey was the daughter she had always needed.

“We will.” Rey said again. “It’s what you would do.” Leia said nothing. We both knew Rey was right.

…

The following day, I put on the clothes I wore the day before and quietly left the room, careful not to disturb Poe. I ran to the Falcon with my blaster and Dad’s lightsaber and helped Rey finish up the work.

“Got it up and running, ladies.” I head Poe say as we turned to see him and Finn. “I was right before. We’re going to pick up where Luke left off. We are going to find Exegol picking up where Luke left off. In the forbidden desert of Pasanna.”

“Oh we know.” Poe said smacking her arm. “That’s why we’re going with you.” Poe said as he, Finn, BB-8, Chewie, and C3P0 began to get ready to board. I happily went to help them after I saw Rey grab Finn as he walked by. Only Lilly and I are going.” Rey said to him.

“We are friends.” Finn said. “It’s too dangerous Finn.” She reiterated. “We go together.” Poe said as Chewie let out an approved roar. BB-8 happily chirped.

“I wholeheartedly agree.” 3P0 said as we looked at Rey again. She smiled and nodded, allowing us to finish packing.

…

I followed Finn and gathered supplies around the base. Suddenly Rose was in front of us. “Are you sure you don’t want to come?” I asked her. “Last chance.” Finn added. “The falcon’s too full already. And besides, Leia asked me to study old star destroyers. So we can stop the fleet before they arrive.” Rose and Finn stared at each other, too afraid to get too close after their break up.”Yeah, when?” Finn asked, breaking the silence. “When?” Rose asked. “When.” Finn said as he walked past her to the ship. I hung back. Rose looked at me expectantly.

“Keep an eye on Leia for me.” I told her. “I fear with the emperor’s return, this may take a toll on her.” Rose nodded. “I’ll let you know Skygal.” Rose said with a smile before running off, to begin studying.

I made my way back to the ship, overhearing 3P0 speak to R2.

“You have been a real friend Artoo. My best one in fact.” He said before moving as fast as he could to the ship. I saw Rey and Leia speaking. I caught bits of their conversation as I approached.

“There’s so much I want to tell you.” Rey said to her. Leia smiled fondly. “Tell me when you get back.” She said, handing Rey our family’s lightsaber. Rey took it from her. Rey would give Leia his saber after each training session. I didn’t want it, having my father’s. Leia wanted it to remember her brother, even though she could feel him with the force. I smiled at them and Leia pulled us both into a hug.

“My girls” Leia said. “Never be afraid of who you are.” We let go and boarded the ship as Rey wiped her eyes. Rey settled into the captain seat as Chewie sat in his usual spot beside her. Poe and Finn sat behind them while I hung onto the back of the seat when we took off.

Chewie roared in anticipation. Rey nodded. “It is,” she said. Once we settled in a steady pace, I sat at the table as the world shifted around me.

_It was dark, but it always was when I saw Ben. The broken black and silver pieces of his mask was tossed on the workbench before him and his Knights of Ren. The creature seemed to know what he wanted. Would Ben really repair the mask? I supposed I was right when the banging of metal on metal was heard and sparks appeared._

My surroundings shifted back to where I was supposed to be as a desert landscape surrounded us.

**_PASANNA_ **

We landed and left the ship behind as we walked along the rocks and sand.

“Is this it?” I asked. “These are the exact coordinates Master Luke left behind.” C3P0 said. Then the sound of thumping music was heard as we rounded a boulder.

“What is this?” Poe asked annoyed. “The Aki-aki festival of the ancestors! This celebration occurs every 42 years.” The gold droid said excitedly.

“That’s lucky.” Finn said sarcastically. “Lucky indeed.” C3P0 said not catching on. “This festival is known for its bright colors and delectable sweets.” We all turned in annoyance at him. The droid turned, wondering what we could possibly be looking at. I liked 3P0 and all but Grandpa couldn’t of built a more annoying droid.

We made our way down to the festival and the music only got louder. Rey and I looked around amazed. If he was right about one thing, the festival sure was colorful and most definitely thrilling. As former scavengers, we had never seen a gathering like this. Rey voiced my thoughts.

“I’ve never seen anything like this.” She said. “I’ve never seen so few wayfinders.” Poe said as he moved past us. We moved on, following him and Finn. “There’s always First Order protools hidden in crowds like these so keep your heads down.” “Yeah Chewie.” I said as the wookie attempted to lower himself. “Let’s spit up. See what locals know.” We nodded and went our separate ways.

I noticed Finn walk up to a booth only to be pulled into a guessing game. He failed to guess what was hidden under the cups as they were moved around. I then saw Rey, gazing happily at a group of alien children. I knew she wanted a family. Me and Mother were never enough I guessed. I asked a few locals, who knew nothing.

I made my way to Rey as a child pulled at her wrappings. The child babbled an alien language. “She is saying welcome.” C3P0, appearing out of nowhere, translated. Rey knelt to her level/ The child placed a necklace around her neck and offered one to me as well. I knelt as the matching yellow necklace was around me as well. “Her name is Nambi Gima.” He said.

“I’m Lillian Skywalker.” I said. “That is an excellent name. I’m Rey.” She said. “She would be honored to know your family name too.” The droid translated. I shot a glare at him. “3P0.” I gritted. “It’s ok.” Rey said. “I don’t have one. I’m just Rey.” She put on a sad smile before turning her head sharply. I heard it too. The sound of all air being sucked away as our surroundings slowly began to change.

We had just found a private place as he appeared before us. His surrounds were starkly white compared to the usual blackness.

“Palpatine wants you dead.” Ben said. “Serving another master?” Rey asked. “No. I have other plans.” He said. It was odd hearing his voice through the mask. I wanted to take it off and break it all over again. The red adhesive couldn’t hold it together for long.

“I offered you my hand once. You wanted to take it. Why didn’t you?” “Why did you remain loyal to the man who turned you against our family?” I asked. He ignored me, as usual in the bond when Rey was involved.

“You could’ve killed me.” Rey said, turning his attention back to her. “Why didn’t you?” “You can’t hide Rey. Not from me.” Ben said. “We can see through the cracks in your mask.” I said. “You’re haunted. You can’t stop seeing what you did to your father.” Rey said. Ben tilted his head and took a step closer.

“Do you still count the days since your parent’s left?” He asked. “Such pain in you. Such pain in you both. Such anger.” As he spoke he got closer and closer. I backed away but Rey didn’t. They were practically chest to chest. “I don’t want to have to kill you. So I won’t. I’m going to find you and turn you both to the darkside. And when I offer you my hand again, you’ll take it.

“We’ll see” she said, narrowing her eyes. He then reached forward suddenly, ripping the necklace off her neck and to his surroundings. The bond closed. Ben could find us that way. We had to get out of here. 


	43. Lando and Speeders

Rey laid a hand on her chest, where the necklace was seconds ago. We ran back to the festival where the others were waiting. I assumed they had found nothing.

“We have to go.” Rey shouted as we ran to them. “The falcon. Now.” “Why?” Finn asked. “Be- Ren.” Rey corrected herself. The others didn’t seem to notice as we ran through the massive crowd. We suddenly stopped as a storm trooper blocked our path.

“I’ve located the resistance fugitives. All units report-.” It never got to finish as a arrow whipped through the air and through his head. We turned to the direction of the arrow to see a man in an elaborate mask. He wanted us to follow him. Something about him felt familiar as I followed and the others trailed behind. We followed him onto a rolling structure.

“Leia sent me a transmission.” He said. “How did you find us?” Finn asked. The man pulled off the mask to reveal the old face of Lando Calrissian. “Wookies stand out in a crowd.” Lando said as Chewie ran to hug his old friend. “Good to see you too old buddy.”

“This is General Lando Calrissian.” C3P0 said. “We know who he is Threepio.” I said. “It is a honor General.” Finn said. “General Calrissian, we’re looking for Exegol.” Poe said steering us back to the task at hand.

“Of course you are.” He said tapping at a device on his wrist. A hologram of the wayfinder appeared before us. “Only 2 were made.” He said. “A sith wayfinder.” Rey said. BB-8 whirred nervously at our feet. “Where Dad’s trail went cold. We came here to find one.” I explained. “Oh I know. I was with him.” Lando said. Rey glanced at Finn in wonder. “Your dad and I were trailing an old Jedi hunter.” He pressed the device again as a face appeared. It was one of a very ugly alien with black and terrifying beady eyes.

“Ochi of Plastoon. He was carrying a map, a clue that could lead us to the wayfinder. We followed his ship halfway across the galaxy to here. When we found the ship, it was abandoned. No clue, no wayfinder.” Rey’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Is Ochi’s ship still here?” Rey asked. “It’s out in the desert where we left it. I doubt it would run now anyways.” Lando said. “We need to find it. Search it again.” Rey spoke as we heard the screech of a tie fighters. Ben and his First Order had found us.

“I have a bad feeling about this.” Lando said. “Ochi’s ship is out past Lurch Canyon.” “Thank you General.” Poe said as all of us left but me and Rey. “Leia needs pilots General.” Rey said. “My flying days are long gone. But do me a favor and send Leia my love.” “You should give it to her yourself.” Rey said. “Thank you General.” I said. Lando scoffed. “That’s Uncle Lando to you kiddo.” He said to me before Rey and I ran out.

…

We needed to get out of here and fast. “Those speeders!” Poe shouted as we ran to them. He slipped beneath one and messed around with the wires enough to where they would run. “Ok.” Finn said. “How do you know how to do that?” “No need to worry.” C3P0 shouted over the panic. “I made it.” Then a foreign speak shouted and began to run towards us.

“Oh kriff.” I said annoyed. “We got to go.” Poe reminded. I boarded a speeder with Rey, BB8, and Chewie. Finn, Poe, and C3P0 were on the other. Blaster bolts from stormtroopers tinged off the speeder and I turned and raised my own and shot at them. Chewie and Rey assisted while steering it. Behind me, BB8 beeped something, an effort to help.

“Not now Bebe.” I said as two troopers lept off their own speeders and into the air. Really, they’re flying now? Blots went in front of the speeders, clouding our vision with heavy smoke. I saw Finn and Poe break away into a canyon while Rey and I continued straight with a stormtrooper in a speeder and two above on our tail. BB-8 beeped again.

“Not now Bebe Ate.” Rey said. A small mechanical arm popped out of it and tapped the smoke bombs in the back. The object cracked open and flew backwards, obscuring the trooper in a yellow smoke. It’s speeder then flew into the air and exploded. We shot at the trooper as it fell.

“Never underestimate a droid.” Rey shouted in realization. It must have been something Leia had said. She got back to steering as the two above sped up. Chewie and I shot at the troopers, successfully shooting one down. Rey then looked over to a ship parked among the rocks.

“Ochi’s ship.” I said. “I’ve seen that ship before.” Rey said. I glanced at her oddly. Then another speeder appeared, the others had made it. We sped up in an effort to get there when suddenly blasters hit the sand behind us causing an explosion and us being catapulted from the speeders into the rough sand. The culprit of this was the lone trooper, flying in the sky. We fired at it and hit it, sending it to implode in a pile of rocks.

We all breathed a sigh of relief as the sand shifted beneath us. “What the hell is this?” Poe asked. “Sinking fields.” Rey and I said at the same time. “Try to grab something.” I said. There was nothing to grab. I was already waist deep in it. I saw Poe go under first. “Poe!” I exclaimed. The sand was up to my chest. BB-8 went next. “Beebee Ate. No!” Rey exclaimed. “Rey!” Finn exclaimed. “I never told yo-“ Finn was under. For a brief second, I tried to use the force. It was no use. Me and Rey followed beneath the sand. 


	44. Ships

My skin felt itchy as I fell beneath the sand into a cave. A cave? Is this is what’s beneath them? I felt someone grab my arm. I reached for my blaster only to point it right at Finn’s face.

“Rey? Lillian?” I heard Poe shout. I heard a thud as Finn and I rounded a corner to see Chewie pull himself up and Poe helping Rey up.

“I’m good.” Finn said shaking the sand off. “I hate sand.” I grumbled. “It gets everywhere.” “Agreed.” Rey responded as Poe walked to me and kissed my forehead. Finn scoffed. “What is this place?” C3P0 spoke but I couldn’t make out his words. The cave was dark. Rey and I knew what to do as we grabbed our sabers and flicked them on, bathing the cave in blue and green light. I saw Poe turn and grab his flashlight, turning it on as we were. I just shook my head at him while Rey and Finn searched for the way out.

“We have to hurry.” Rey said as we followed. I caught on to their conversation as I got closer. “What you were going to tell me?” She asked. “When?” Finn asked. Don’t play that dumb Finn. If he was going to tell Rey of his crush on her, he better be prepared to face my cousin’s wrath. “When you were sinking in the sand, you said: I never told you-“ “I’ll tell you later.” Finn replied. Poe got closer and jumped between them.

“You mean when Poe’s not here?” Poe suggested. Finn nodded. A sigh escaped my lips. “We’re gonna die in sand burrows and we’re all keeping secrets?” Poe continued. “I’ll tell you when you tell us about all that shifty stuff you do.” Finn added. I just glared at the three of them. We had to work together and get along if we were to defeat the emperor, again.

“I don't wanna know what made these tunnels.” Poe said as we continued forward, further in the cave. “Judging by the circumference of the tunnel walls.” C3P0 began. “We don’t want to know Threepio.” I grumbled. We rounded another corner and saw a speeder, hidden with the rocks. “What’s that?” Poe said, unable to identify it.

“Is that a speeder?” Finn asked. “An old one.” I answered approaching it. “Perhaps we will find the driver.” 3P0 said. I doubted that. BB-8 beeped something we all agreed on. “Yep, BB-8, I think dead, too.” Poe said moving ahead of us. I stayed beside the gold droid as he glanced at the emblem on the dash.

"A hex charm.” The droid said amazed. “What?” I questioned. Poe turned back to face us. “A common emblem of Sith loyalists.” He said. “Sith?” Rey wondered. “This was Ochi’s?” Finn asked.

“Luke sensed it. Ochi never left this place.” Rey realized. “And he ended up down here.” Finn continued. "He was headed for his ship. Same thing happened to us, happened to him.” Poe finished. “So how did he escape?” I asked. Rey moved ahead and I followed. We turned and stopped to see a pile of bones, barely any remaining skin clinging to it.

“He didn’t.” Rey said as Finn and Poe caught up to us. Chewie growled in disgust. “Bones. I don’t like bones.” Poe said. “Who does?” I muttered. Beneath the sand I saw a glint of silver. BB-8 rolled past our feet to the object and blew the sand off revealing an odd shaped dagger. Rey walked over to it and picked it up. When she did, a flash of pain moved across her face and fear was in her eyes.

“Horrible things have happened with this.” She mumbled. I walked to her and took it from her hands. I could see an inscription of some kind on it along with dried blood from years ago. I could see why this hurt Rey. Visions flashed in my head.

_My mother stood at the Emperor’s side, watching my father and grandfather duel. Another flash was my mother again speaking to someone. Their faces covered with a hood. One person, a woman, pushed the hood off, revealing 3 buns on the back of her head. Was this Rey’s mother?_

“There’s writing on it.” Poe said, pulling me out of the vision. “Perhaps I can translate.” 3P0 said as I handed it to him. The droid seemed to scan it. “Oh!” He suddenly said. “The location of the wayfinder, has been inscribed upon this dagger. It’s the clue that Master Luke was looking for.” “And?” Poe asked. “Where’s the wayfinder?” Finn asked. “I am afraid I cannot tell you.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. “20.3 fazillion languages, and you can’t read that?” Poe asked. “Oh, I have read it, sir. I know exactly where the wayfinder is. Unfortunately, it is written in the runic language of the Sith.”

“So what?” Rey asked. “My programming forbids me from translating it.” He said. “So, you’re telling us the one time we need you to talk, you can’t?” Poe asked. “My grandfather, who became one of the biggest siths of all time, who built you, make you unable to speak sith.” “Irony, Miss Lillian. I am mechanically incapable of speaking translations from Sith.” Then there was a rumble. The dirty seemed to shift and a giant serpent rose in the air. We jumped in shock. The droid in front of us continued to speak. “I believe the rule was passed by the Senate of the Old Republic.”

Then the creature roared. We could see a small bead of sunlight peek out from behind it. This creature was blocking our exit. No one else saw this as the droid turned and ran behind us, to hide from the serpent. We all raised our blasters and lightsabers. A look of realization passed over her features, she placed a hand on top of Poe’s blaster, making him lower it. Rey handed the Skywalker lightsaber to Finn. She took a few cautious steps forward. “Rey.” I warned. I felt as if I knew what she was doing but I still didn’t want her to. It didn’t matter. She ignored me anyway and stepped into the coils of the creature. All it had to do was squeeze and she was it’s meal.

“Finn, Lilly.” Poe spoke raising his blaster again. I shushed him. Rey didn’t break eye contact with it as she knelt down. “I'm gonna blast it.” Poe said as the serpent snarled again. “Do’t you dare.” I said. “Don’t blast it.” Finn added. Rey slowly raised her hand and laid it on the bloody claw marks on its body. Rey then relaxed some and breathed slowly as she began to force heal it. The claw marks stitched together as if nothing ever happened. The serpent almost seemed to nod in appreciation to her as it slithered away, it’s tail moving to knock down the rocks that allowed the sunlight to fully stream in. Rey continued to sit, force healing would drain your life some, make you weak. BB-8 rolled to her in concern. She massaged her wrist and gave the cute droid a weak smile.

“I just transferred a bit of life. Force energy from me to him. You would've done the same.” I helped her stand up as Finn and Poe exited the cave. Chewie put the dagger in his bag and Rey and I followed them out.

…

The sun was sweltering when we left the cave. We walked until we got to Ochi’s ship parked among the rocks. We climbed as I began to wonder if this thing could even work. It’s been sitting here for decades. Suddenly 3P0 voiced my concern. “We cannot possibly fly in that old wreck.” He said.

“We got to keep moving. Find someone who can translate that dagger. Like a helpful droid.” Poe replied. I could tell C3P0 was already more nervous. “I suggest we return to the Millennium Falcon at once.” “They’ll be waiting for us at the Falcon.” I reminded him. “Yeah.” Poe added. We needed to get up another boulder as Finn gave him a boost up.

“They’ll throw us in the Pits of Griq.” Finn retorted. “Yeah. And use you as a target droid.” Poe replied. I stifled a laugh as I sensed a presence. He was here. I turned to see Rey no longer following us, but staring at the bleak desert. Finn ran down to her past me. “What is it?” Finn asked. I could feel her pressing into his mind. A jedi mind trick. She was doing the same to Poe as well. I couldn’t be fooled.

"I'll be right behind you. It's ok.” She fibbed and handed Finn her staff. She walked back down. Finn went back to the ship while I stood and watched. A few minutes later Chewie ran out, grumbling at me. “I understand that Chewie but I need to see this.” I said. Chewie almost sighed and ran down to the sand. I crouched down to a good hiding place and watched Rey stand in determination as Ben’s tie silencer came into view.

Behind me, the ship fired up. Poe was probably getting antsy at this point. I then heard footsteps as Finn ran past me. I watched what he was observing. It was Chewie, all chained up, surrounded by the knights and stormtroopers. A trooper pulled the dagger out of the bag and examined it. We really needed to leave now. I went back to watching Rey. She extinguished her saber as the tie sped up, going faster and faster.

Would Ben really run her over? Rey then turned, facing away from the ship and began to run. She then stopped running and lept backwards, over the tie and slicing off one of the ends of the tie. Surely Rey wouldn’t try and kill him. My fear was almost confirmed as the tie rolled across the sand and exploded. I could sense the pure fear settle in Rey, she didn’t want to kill him either. I saw two ships take off, one of them possibly containing Chewie. Finn then grabbed my hand, pulling me out to where Rey was.

“Rey!” Finn shouted. “They got Chewie! They got him!” Rey then stretched out her hand, stopping the ship in air. I stretched out mine as well. This whole situation felt so familiar. Then it hit me as I saw Ben walking from the flames, the repaired helmet in his hands as he stretched out his hand as well, pulling it in the opposite direction of us. Rey and I began to struggle. Her hand curled in the air, as did his. The ship began to creak and crack under the weight of the force. Rey then let out a shout as lightning cracked from her fingertips and to the ship exploded.

“No!” Finn shouted. Hands clasped over my mouth in shock. I shook my head in denial. Chewie was gone. First Mother, Uncle Han, Dad, and now Chewie.

“Chewie!” Rey screamed as we watched the flaming metal fall in horror. I saw Ben recall back in shock, I wasn’t sure if it was of Rey’s new power or the loss of the wookie who basically raised him. I saw a lone tear slide down his cheek.

“Rey!” Poe’s voice shouted from the distance. “We need to go. They’re coming.” Rey looked at her hand in horror and then back up to meet Ben’s eyes across the smoke. Finn grabbed my shoulders and led me back to the ship. Rey followed us as we boarded the old ship. Ben was too in shock to follow but I saw his eyes follow Rey’s and could sense him watching as we flew off. 


	45. Unknown Pasts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one ran a bit too long but enjoy!

_I walked along a dark corridor. It reminded me of Exegol. Upon closer inspection, I realized that was exactly where I was. I walked forward before colliding into someone. It was Rey, staring at a scene before her. She was looking at the Sith throne, and perhaps the ones on it. My cousin sat there as a cloaked figure sat on his lap, draping their legs across the other arm of the throne. I soon realized he was caressing this person and kissing them deeply and passionately. Then they stopped. The figure sat up straighter. Then out of nowhere another dark cloaked cultist walked up with a silver platter with a dome covering the plate._

_“Dinner is here, Emperess.” Ben said very monotone. The figure, which I now saw as a woman, reached out her hand and lifted the dome to reveal my own head sitting on the plate. The woman turned and pushed back her hood. The woman had Rey’s face with only yellow eyes._

_“What? Jealous?” She said smiling with her sharp teeth. She hissed._

I awoke with a start in the cockpit of Ochi’s ship. I noticed Poe was too busy flying to notice me. I stood up and walked around until I saw Rey. Staring at her own hand. Finn was comforting her.

“It wasn’t your fault.” He said. “It was.” Rey corrected. He was right mostly, but why did she even have that power in the first place? Only ancient Sith like Count Dooku or Darth Sidious could have that power. “No. It was Ren. He made you do it.” Finn said. I just shook my head. “Chewie’s gone. That power came from me.” She said. She then noticed me. “Finn, there are things you don’t know.” "Then tell me.” He said. Rey paused to take a shaky breath. I walked hop to her and grabbed her hand. She jerked away. BB-8, who had just rolled in, swirled up to look at her.

“I had a vision. Of the throne of the Sith. And who was on it.” Rey began. “Ren?” Finn asked. “And me. They served us Lillian’s head on a platter.” “It was terrifying.” I said. We all sat down. Finn opened his mouth to speak as Poe walked in.

“ We've only got 8 hours left. So, what are we gonna do?” Poe asked. I wasn’t even sure. “What can we do?” Finn asked “We got to go back to base.” “We can’t give up now. Do we even have time to do that?” I said. “We don’t” Poe answered. “If we do that, Chewie died for nothing.” “Poe, Chewie had the dagger!” “Well, then we gotta find another way.” “The dagger was the only clue we had to the wayfinder and it’s gone.” I said.

“So true. The inscription lives only in my memory now.” C3P0 said. Our heads all turned to him. “Hold on.” Poe said. “The inscription that was on the dagger is in your memory?” The droid turned to face us. “Yes, Master Poe. But the translation from a forbidden language cannot be retrieved. That is short of a complete redacted memory bypass.” The droid added. “A memory wipe?” I suggested. "It’s a terribly dangerous and sinful act performed on unwitting droids by dregs and criminals.” 3P0 said.

“Let’s do that!” Finn gladly suggested. I was flabbergasted. So was the droid. “I know a black market droidsmith.” Poe added. “But he's on Kijimi.” He threw his head back in annoyance. “What's wrong with Kijimi?” I asked. “I had a little bad luck on Kijimi. “Poe said. But if this mission fails, it’s all been for nothing. All we’ve done, all this time.” Finn stood. “We’re all in this.” He said glancing at me and Rey. “Until the end.” Rey stood, taking his hand. I stood taking hers.

“For Chewie.” She nodded. “Hands?” Poe asked taking Finn’s other hand. “Hands.” Finn said. Then 3P0 walked up taking Poe’s hand. The droid just had to ruin the moment. We broke apart and Poe and Finn headed to the cockpit.

…

I decided to wait with Rey. I then heard BB-8 beep excitedly with an unknown mechanical voice. I heard a squeak as a set of droids rolled up to us. The new droid was green and white with a cone shaped head and it’s body just a squeaky wheel. Rey smiled and reached out a hand.

“Hello.” She said as the droid rolled backwards. “N-no thank you.” It said. BB-8 beeped in worry. “Someone treated him badly.” Rey said. I offered him a smile. “ It's all right. You're with us now.” I said.

KIJIMI

As soon as we landed, we raided an abandoned store for warm coats. We put one on 3P0 since the droid was our giveaway now with Chewie gone. I pushed the grief to the furthest corner of my mind as we sneaked around a building. Poe ran off on his own. He knew of this place somehow. I thought he lived on Yavin with his parents until the war broke out. When did he have the time to come here?

Poe ran up to us a few moments later, only pausing for a few moments to avoid the stormtrooper protrolls.

“Alright, I know what we should do.” Poe began. “So do I. We should leave.” 3P0 quickly said as he attempted to run. I grabbed his hood to keep him there. “Clam it, 3PO. Follow me.” he said. We ran down the street, avoiding looks from pedestrians. We ducked behind another building. All right. Let's head down-“ he was cut off by a blaster hitting the back of his head. We turned to see Poe with his hands raised and a woman with a gold mask pointing the blaster at him.

“Heard you were spotted at Monk's Gate. Thought: He’s not stupid enough to come back here.” She said. “Oh, you'd be surprised.” He said. “Who’s this?” Rey asked. “What’s going on?” I asked. Poe sighed. “Guys, this is Zorii. Zorii, this is Rey, Finn, and my girlfriend Lillian.” He said. “Girlfriend?” Zorii asked. She looked at me for a second before looking to Poe. “I could pull this trigger right now.” She said. “I’ve seen you do worse.” He quickly said. “For a lot less.” She said.

“Can we just talk about this?” Poe asked as he then lowered his hood slowly and turned to face her. “I want to see your brains in the snow.” She snapped. What did he do to make her mad? “So you’re still mad?” He asked. She lowered her head in annoyance. “Zorii, we could use your help. We gotta crack this droid’s head open and fast.” “Pardon me!” 3P0 snapped. “We’re trying to find Babu Frik.” “Babu? Babu only works with the crew. That’s not you anymore.” “What crew?” Rey asked. “Oh, funny he never mentioned it. Your friend’s old job was running spice.” Zorii said.

“You were a spice runner?” Finn asked. “You were a stormtrooper?” Poe said. “You were a spice runner? Rey repeated. You were a scavenger? Poe added. “Were you a spice runner?” I asked. “You’re a kriffing Skywalker! We can do this all night.” Poe added. “You don't have all night. You know, I'm still digging out of the hole you put me in when you left to join the Resistance.” Zorii said. The her head turned to Rey. “You.” Zorii said to her. “You're the one they're looking for. Bounty for her just might cover us.” Her crew began to run into the square. “Djak’kankah!” “Don’t djak’kankah.” The crew charged at Rey. I helped by elbowing and shooting a few. Finn and Poe just stood there while we took them down. Zorii ran in only to be knocked on her feet by Rey’s staff. We then grabbed our sabers, pointing them at her while she raised a simple blaster at us.

"We could really use your help. Please.” Rey begged. “Not that you care.” Zorii said catching her breath. “But I think you're ok.” Rey turned off her saber. I did as well. “I care.” Rey said helping her to her feet.

We now ran along another street to get to the shop, ducking down when stormtroopers passed by. Zorii encourages us to stay close as we maneuvered the streets. Then Finn spoke.

“Poe Dameron, spice runner.” Finn mocked. “Runner of spice.” “Come get your spice.” I whisper shouted earning a laugh from Finn. “Alright.” Poe said annoyed by us. C3P0 toiled behind as Rey urged him to move faster. We finally made our way in a club where the music thumped loudly. “Babu is in the back.” Zorii informed as we moved through the club to the back as I noticed a bartender shake his old head in annoyance.

…

The back of the shop was cluttered with piles of droid parts. I almost didn’t see Babu, who was an adorable little alien who spoke in babbles that resembled english. C3P0 was hooked up to wires that hung from the ceiling.

“I don’t have the faintest idea why I agreed to this.” The droid complained. “I must be malfunctioning.” I patted his shoulder and made my way to Rey and Babu. “Babu Frick?” Rey asked. “Cam you help us with this?” The creature just spoke to where Rey and I couldn’t quite understand. Our faces clouded with confusion as I looked back to Finn, who just shrugged.

“Zorii?” I asked worriedly. “Is this going to work?” Zorri spoke to Babu for a moment before translating. “He says he's found something in your droid's forbidden memory bank. Words, translated from Sith.”

“That’s it.” Rey said. “Yeah, that's what we need.” Finn added. I could sense Zorii roll her eyes before turning to Poe annoyed. “Who are you hanging out with that speaks Sith?” Poe then turned to her briefly. “Can you make him?” He then looked to Babu realizing he was asking the wrong person. “Babu, can you make him translate it?” She and Babu conversed again.

“Yes.” She translated. “But it it will cause a complete-“ “Complete memory wipe.” C3P0 finished. I looked to the gold droid sadly. He was my friend, built by my grandfather. He was in an odd sense an uncle. He taught me things in my childhood and even now. I bit my lip.

“Wait, wait, wait. We make him translate it, he won’t remember anything?” Poe asked something we all already knew the answer to. “Droid, memory go blank.” Babu emphasized as C3P0 spoke worriedly. “There must be some other way.”

“Doesn’t Artoo back up your memory?” I asked. “Oh, please. Artoo’s storage units are famously unreliable. “You know the odds better than any of us. Do we have a choice?” Rey asked. I shot her an offended look. 3P0 looked at her and thought a moment before standing up, looking at the stars through one of the windows.

“If this mission fails, it was all for nothing. All we’ve done, all this time.” He said before turning back to face us. He gazed at us longingly. He looked at me probably the longest, seeing flashes of my father in me perhaps.

“What are you doing there, 3PO?” Poe asked. C3P0 spoke hushed but his words were clear. “Taking one last look sir. At my friends.” 


	46. Memory Problems

I felt a tear slide down my cheek as the new droid spoke. “Sad.” It said. Then a bright light moved beside one of the windows. It was almost blinding. Zorii sighed. “Night raids are going to start soon. I’ll keep lookout.” “I'm coming with you” for said not even sparing me another glance. Was I jealous of her? “The two walked up the stairs to the roof. “You still don't trust me, huh?” She scoffed. “Did you ever trust me?” He asked. I just shook my head.

_A tug. Dammit. I appeared now at his side as he walked with his generals Hux and Pryde. "Report, General Pryde” He asked before turning his head my direction ever so slightly. “To a settlement called Kijimi.” Pryde continued. I shook my head. Moving in front of him. “No. Ben.” I said sternly. “Shall we destroy the city, Supreme-“ Hux began but was cut off by the force and a stern point that I’d only ever seen Han do. He walked away as I ran to catch up._

_“Don’t do this.” I begged. “The Emperor wants her and you. He wants me to kill her, you know that. I’m just finding a loophole.” I narrowed my eyes and the bond shut off._

I now stood in-between Rey and Finn as Babu prodded at the back pf C3P0’s head with a tool. Sparks flew.

“I just had the idea. There's something else we could try.” But he was cut off by him powering down. I sighed. When he awoke, 3P0 would have no idea who I was.

I could tell Rey was shaken but not by this as she moved past me and Finn. I groaned and walked up the stairs instead to hear Poe and Zorii talking.

“How long's it been like this?” He asked. “First Order took most of the kids a long time ago. Can't stand the cries anymore. I've saved up enough to get out. I'm going to the Colonies.” She said. I supposed she wasn’t as cold as I thought. “How? All those hyperlanes are blocked.” I then heard the ting of metal as Poe gasped. “That's the First Order Captain's medallion. I've never seen a real one.” “Free passage through any blockade. Landing privileges, any vessel.” Then a whir of a helmet rang out. “Want to come with me?” I heard enough of this. I turned, stomping back down the steps.

“Troubles?” Finn teased. “I’m not in the mood.” I said as I walked past him to see Rey oiling the new droid’s squeaky wheel. “Squeaky wheel. I have a squeaky wheel.” It stumbled out. I smiled. Cute little droid. Then Rey stopped oiling as the droid wheeled around with no sound from it’s wheel. “Squeak eliminated. Thank you. Very kind.” Rey’s smile faded then.

“Something’s not right about all of this.” She said as I glanced at her. “I know where I’ve seen it. The ship he was on. Ochi’s ship.” “When you were a child?” I asked. “The day my parents left. They were on that ship. So much lightning.” “On Jakku?” I asked. She nodded. “Are you sure?”

Then Zorii walked back down. “There's an incoming Destroyer.” Ben made it after all. “Dammit.” I cursed under my breath. Poe pushed past her. “We gotta go now. Did we get it? Babu?” Babu laughed. “Droid is ready.” I made out as sparks happened again as 3P0’s eyes flickered to a bright red. The droid sat straight up. His voice came out more robotic.

“The Emperor's wayfinder is in the Imperial vault. At Delta 3-6, Transient 9-3-6, Bearing 3-2 on a moon in the Endor system. From the southern shore. Only this blade tells. Only this blade tells.” He powered down again, eyes no longer red and collapsed in a heap. “The Endor system?” Finn asked. “Where the last war ended?” Then another rumble was heard. I could sense him now. And then something else. Rey and I ran out of the shop to the dirt ground above.

“Ben’s destroyer.” Rey said upon seeing it in the dark sky. Only I seemed to catch her slip. “He’s here?” Poe asked. We could definitely sense the other presence now. “Chewie.” We both said. “What about him?” Finn asked. “He’s on the ship. He’s alive.” I exclaimed. But then again we did see another transport in the desert. “He’s alive!” Rey spoke. “He must've been on a different transport.” We got to go get him!” Finn answered.

“Your friend's on that sky trash?” Zorii said. “I guess he is!” Poe happily said. Then the wiring of metal again. I walked down to see 3P0 sit up again to power back up. “Might I introduce myself? I am C-3PO, Human Cyborg Relations. And you are?” C3P0 said in his normal voice. “OK, that’s gonna be a problem.” Poe said as the droid and Babu Frik introduced themselves to one another.

…

“Threepio, move your metal ass. We’re almost there.” Poe shouted to the forgotten droid as w moved through the streets back to the ship. “How dare you! We’ve only just met!” He said as I tried to pull him forward. “Poe. Might get you on a capital ship.” Zorii said holding up the medallion. “Go help your friend.” “Zorii, I don't think I can take this.” Poe said looking at the gold medal. “I don't care what you think.” She said.

“We have to go. Now.” Rey said. “Come with us.” He asked. She wanted to go anyway. The masked woman just shook her head. “Go.”

We made out way to the ship unseen. Once on board and in range of the destroyer, Poe slipped in the medallion into a slot. It dinged allowing us to enter. “Hang on Chewie. We’re coming.” Rey muttered. 3P0 made a sound resembling a sigh. “Whoever this Chewie person is, this is madness!”

**_THE STEADFAST_ **

The destroyer pulled us in as we landed in the hangar. This was almost too easy. We lowered the ramp as a pair of troopers boarded. “Credentials and manifest.” One said. The raised their blasters upon seeing us and we stunned them, causing them to fly out of the ship and to the hangar floor. We ran out and to the hangar with our blasters raised. We took out the ones that surrounded us.

“Which way?” I asked. “No idea.” Finn said as we continued straight ahead. We had the droids stay on the ship as we rounded a few corners. I powered down a few cameras with the force as the others shot at them. We heard the sound of doors opening as troopers stopped us in our tracks.

“Drop your weapons!” One of them said. Rey then stepped forward. She pressed into their minds and waved her hand. “It’s OK that we’re here.” “It’s OK that you’re here.” One said. “It’s good.” The other said. Rey waved her hand again. “You’re relieved that we’re here.” She added. “Thank goodness you’re here.” The one trooper said. “Welcome, guys.” The other one said. Rey smiled and Poe whispered to Finn. “Does she do that to us?” Yes actually. Rey spoke again. “We’re looking for a prisoner and his belongings.”

The troopers guided us to the torture chambers. We stunned them and then shot down the cameras once more. We moved to the left down a corridor.

“They said Chewie’s this way.” Finn said as he lead the way. Most star destroyers are laid out the same I suppose. Finn typed into a keypad as I noticed Rey turn around slowly. Finn got the door open and we all want past it. Rey didn’t.

“Rey c’mon” Finn urged. “The dagger is on this ship. We need it.” Rey said. I then remembered. “Only this blade tells.” I repeated 3P0’s earlier words. “I’ll come with you.” I said. “No.” Rey said. “I need to face him.” _In person_ , she pressed in my mind. "I'll meet you back at the hangar.” She said quickly running off. Finn tried to run after her but I stopped him We needed to find Chewie.

Finn, Poe, and I ran along the hall before stopping at a door. The cell Chewie was in. Instead of typing a code, I plunged my lightsaber into the door and it opened. Inside Chewie was tied to a metal device with little metal claws attached. The wookie growled.

“Of course we came for you.” I said. We undid the ties and cuffs and set him free. We helped him up and ran out of the cell. 


	47. I Spy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux lives!

“The ship is this way, follow me!” Finn shouted as we rounded a corner only to see a bunch of troopers in front of us. “Over here!” A trooper shouted as they made their way to us. We blasted them, gunning down most. “Wrong way!” I said back. “There's not really a right way, is there?” Poe replied. He and I went to another corridor, blasting any trooper we saw. We ran down a corridor as I tossed a blaster of a fallen trooper to him.

We all shot and stunned troopers, jumping over their bodies as we ran.

“We close?” Poe grunted. “Straight ahead.” Finn said. Then all of a sudden a blast came out of nowhere, hitting him in the shoulder. “Poe!” Finn and I exclaimed as we ran to him. I crouched down at his side. The bolt was lodged in his arm. I laid my hand on the wound and called on the force. It answered as I began to heal the wound. The bolt just vanishing.

“Are you better now?” I asked. We then looked up. “Nope.” He said as we were surrounded by stormtroopers. We all raised our hands in defense, knowing we’ve been captured. “Drop your weapons now!” One of them shouted as we dropped our blasters to the shiny black floor.

…

We were escorted down a hall with out hands bound. We were soon face to face with General Pryde and Hus. “Allegiant General, the scavenger is not with them.” One trooper said. Pryde’s eyes fell on me. “The one you got isn’t good enough. Take them away. Terminate them.” Pryde instructed. The troopers acknowledged them and we were then escorted to an anther room. How could this had gone so badly. We were dead, so dead. We faced the wall as I heard the sound of weapons being raised. Then the sound of a new pair of footsteps. “Actually, I'd like to do this myself.” Hux said. Of course he would. Finn was a traitor and I had claimed to be on their side once so I was a traitor as well. I noticed Poe swallow nervously.

“What were you gonna tell Rey before?” Poe asked. “You still on that?” Finn asked. “Oh, I’m sorry, is this a bad time?” Poe asked. I groaned and Chewie growled in annoyance. “Oh this is a bad time.” I snapped. “Yeah. Sort of is a bad time, Poe.” Finn added. “Well, because later doesn't really look like an option. If you're gonna let something off your chest, maybe now's not the worst time to-“ Poe was cut off by a blaster going off behind us. But it didn’t;t get anywhere near us. We turned to see Hux with dead troopers at his feet. “I’m the spy.” Hux said.

“What the kriff?” I asked.”You?” Finn asked. “We don’t have much time.” Hux said as I moved closer, removing our handcuffs. “I knew it!” Poe exclaimed. “No.” I said. “You did not.” Finn said as we were lead out and down another hall. I soon realized we were right above the hangar containing my uncle’s ship. The general pressed a code on a keypad as the door opened. Then I heard the clanking of metal feet. “Oh, yes, there they are!” C3P0 exclaimed. BB-8 and the new droid beeped at his feet.

“I'll shut down the impeders. You've got seconds.” Hux told as Poe nodded and looked out at the falcon. “There she is. She's a survivor.” He ran out to start the ship with the droids and Chewie while me and Finn were held back. “Wait!” Hux realized. “Blast me in the arm. Quick.” “What?” Finn asked. “Or they’ll know.” Hux added. Finn raised a blaster as he first pointed it to hs arm and then his leg and fired. Hux fell to the ground, pressing on the bloody wound. “Why are you helping us?” I asked. “I don’t care if you win. I need Kylo Ren to lose.” He sneered. But Leia needed information from him. I glanced at Finn and he seemed to have the same idea as me.

“Grab his other side.” I said pulling Hux to his feet. Finn grabbed his other side as we carried him to the ship. A confused Poe was waiting. “What are you doing?” Poe asked. “The right thing.” Finn said. “It is not right!” Hux objected. I then turned and looked down to see Rey and Ben circling each other like prey. I shook them off and continued to the ship.

**_THE MILLENNIUM FALCON_ **

I bandaged up the general as the ship took off. I wanted to force heal him but with the way the ship jerked it would be impossible. I then felt a pull.

_“What Palpatine doesn’t know is we’re a dyad in the Force, Rey. 2 that are one.” Ben spoke slowly as shock waved over Rey. Almost as if her mind was struggling to comprehend something he had told her. “We’ll kill him together and take the throne. You already killed your parents Rey. Taking down the ship with force lightning as a child. Killing him won’t be any worse.” He removed his helmet. Ben then held out his hand. “You know what you need to do. You know.”_

Rey killed her parents. But why force lightning? I left Hux and locked the door of the room he was in. I was snapped out of my thoughts as Finn shouted my name. “Lillian, we need to get her come on.” Finn said as we asked down as the ramp lowered in midair. The wind of Kijimi wipped around our faces. Rey was turned to face us now as she took a running leap to the ship as we caught her. I noticed her bottom bun of her hair was flowing free but seemed too unbothered to fix it. As Finn helped her up, I could feel Ben’s eyes boring into mine. We headed back out into space.

…

“I don't know why they're not following us, but I don't trust it.” Poe said as he inputted the directions of the Endor moon, Kef Bir. I was seated across from him behind Chewie. Chewie then growled. “ Landing gear's busted? How busted?” It was busted bad apparently. I excused myself to the main room, where now Rey and Finn worked with the wires. Rey tugged on them more forceful than ususal. There was an odd sense of her now. Almost a cloud of invisible darkness around her. I went to help them. I took Finn’s place as he handed us tools while Rey and I worked the wiring.

“All that matters is the wayfinder. Finding Exegol.” Rey said. “That’s what we're doing.” Finn responded. Then her voice got low. “I killed them. My mother. And my father.” She paused her work. “I’m going to find Palpatine and destroy him.” Rey said at a normal volume. That didn’t sound like her. Finn and I shared a glance.

“Rey that doesn’t sound like you.” Finn said. “Rey I know you.” Finn wanted to continue encouraging her but she cut him off with a glare. I could now see flecks of sickly gold in her green eyes. “People keep telling me they know me. I’m afraid no one does.” Finn didn’t say anything else as Rey slammed the panel shut and stormed back to the cockpit. Finn soon followed her. 


	48. Water

_Ben almost seemed to stride in as I felt a tug in the force. “You realize I have no control over these.” He said. “I’m aware.” I said. I moved to sit at the table and Ben sat across from me. “Chewie used to let me win.” He suddenly said. I looked at him confused as he took off his helmet. “Dejarik. All the years Dad would send you and I here to play as Dad, Mother and Luke fought over the New Republic.” He seemed to smile fondly at the memory. “Your father would bring you and your mother to Chandrila every holiday since you were born.” “Was it hard playing chess with a 1 year old?” I asked playfully. “Yes.” He said with something resembling a smile. Then his demeanor shifted._

_“The Jedi failed you. Your father did. Instead of helping me fight the darkness, instead he sends away the last thread of light. You and Mera. Palpatine’s spirt is what brought your parent’s together. She was sent there to kill him but fell in love.” “Why are you telling me this?” I asked. “Don’t you hold any anger for them? I hated Luke when he sent you away. He erased your memory of everything.” He spoke. “Palpatine was the thing that brought us together. It’s only fitting that we destroy him. You, me, and Rey. You and I are the children and grandchildren of his apprentices. Rey is his granddaughter.” I was shocked. The emperor had children. Who would have anything with that ugly man? “I assume she didn’t tell you.” I shook my head. I then began to ponder this. Rey always lied, so did my parents. Ben was the only one to ever tell me the truth. “Ok.” I said. “Ok what?” He asked. “When the moment comes. I’ll help you destroy Palpatine.”_

Then he was gone. I felt as if I made a horrible mistake. But then the ship jerked suddenly, plumbing into the side of a hill.

**_KEF BIR_ **

We gathered ourselves and Poe helped me to my feet. Chewie then opened a hatch in the top of the ship and we climbed out only to then climb up a hill. Beyond the hill, there was a massive body of water with roaring waves. In the waves, there was chunks of the former 2nd Death Star.

“What…What is that?” The new droid asked. “It's the Death Star. A bad place from an old war.” Rey spoke. “It's gonna take us years to find what we're looking for.” Poe replied. The Rey murmured something and pulled the dagger from her bag. She ran her hands along the top of the blade and the angle before pulling on it. A small lever pulled from the handle and seemed as if it was an arrow, pointing to the wayfinder. She held it up and moved it along the wreckage. She stopped as I moved to look over her shoulder. The blade matched up with the wreckage perfectly and the arrow pointed to where it was.

“That’s too easy.” I said. Then I looked to the roaring waves. A forgotten dream popped in my head but I ignored it. Was this what all my visions had been leading me to? “The wayfinder is there.” Rey said. Then the winny of a creature had us turn, blasters raised. A woman riding an orback with several others in tow was before us.

“Rough landing?” She suggested. “I’ve seen worse.” Poe said. “I've seen better.” She responded. “Are you Resistance?” “It depends.” I said. “We picked up a transmission from someone named Babu Frik.” She said. “Babu Frik? Oh, he’s one of my oldest friends.” C3P0 reminiscenced. We all collectively rolled our eyes. The woman continued. “ He said you'd come. He said you were the last hope.” Rey could suddenly feel the woman’s eyes on her.

“We have to get to that wreck. There is something inside there we need.” Rey stated. I could feel the urgency in her voice. She wanted to finish off her grandfather once and for all after the torment he caused both her family and mine. “I can take you there by water.” she said. "Have you seen the water?” Finn asked. “Not now. Too dangerous. We can go first light tomorrow.” We didn’t have too long but better late than never. “We can't wait that long. We don't have the time.” Rey objected. “Or the choice.” I said.

“Let's get that ship fixed. Do you have any spare parts?” Poe asked her. He began to follow the woman up the hill. “Some. I'm Jannah.” She said finally introducing herself. We all introduced ourselves and followed. I hung back for a moment to still see her overlooking the raging water.

“Go Lilly.” Rey said. “I’ll be alright.” I nodded and went back up the hill. I had a bad feeling about this.

…

We each rode an orback to the ship. I worked with Finn and Jannah while Poe worked in the cockpit. The banging on the locked door made me remember the general.

“I could use another set of hands up here!” Poe called. I unlocked the door and had the general go and help Poe. Hux reluctantly agreed despite Poe’s protest. Finn and I worked below as Jannah handed us parts.

“Bonding tape.” I said. Finn tossed it to me, remembering from when we all first met. “ It's an O-6, but should work.” Jannah said tossing the part down. Finn thanked her before studying it. “This is a First Order part.” Finn said. “There's an old cruiser on the west edge. Stripped for parts. The one we were assigned to. The one we escaped in.” Jannah explained. She was a part of the First Order. Finn immediately stopped what he was doing and turned to face her.

“Ok, wait. You were First Order?” He asked. “Not by choice.” She mumbled. Finn then jumped up to the upper level across from her. “We were conscripted as kids. All of us. I was TZ-1719. Stormtrooper.” “FN-2187.” Finn said. He would never talk about his time during the FO. I only heard him mention his old name once. Jannah straightened slightly in surprise. “You?” “I never knew there were more.” Finn realized. “Deserters? All of us here were stormtroopers. We mutinied at the Battle of Ansett Island.” She said. “They told us to fire on civilians. We wouldn’t do it. We laid our weapons down.”

“All?” I asked. “ The whole company.” Jannah spoke. “I don’t even know how it happened. It wasn’t a decision, really, it was like-“ “An instinct. Feeling.” Finn added. Jannah nodded meeting his eyes. “A feeling.” I finished my work and sat with them on the upper level. “The Force. The Force brought me here. It brought me to Rey and Lillian. And Poe.” Finn said. 

"You say that like you’re sure it’s real.” Jannah said. I smiled and summoned a wrench to my hand. Her eyes widened. “It’s real. I wasn’t sure then but I am now.” I smiled at them and went to join Poe.

“I honestly don’t see how you people don’t send this ship to the scrapyard.” Hux sneered. “If you’re going to be a nerfherder, we could just drop you back off with the First Order.” Poe snapped back. Hux sighed as BB-8 rolled up to me and beeped worriedly. It hadn’t seen Rey at all. She said she would be right behind us but was nowhere to be seen. I glanced out at the raging waves and realized what she had done. Kriff.

…

All of us, excluding Hux, ran down to the shore. I ripped the binoculars from Finn and looked to see Rey in a skimmer, battling the rough waves. “She took a skimmer!” Jannah exclaimed. Neither me or Rey could swim that well, she was doomed. Beside me, Poe shouted in annoyance.

“What the hell was she thinking?” Poe exclaimed as he turned to go back to the ship. “Poe, we gotta go after her.” Finn ran after him. Jannah had ran off, to find another way to her. I decided to follow Finn. “We'll get the Falcon fixed, and get out there as fast as we can.” Poe said. “It will be too late then.” I said. “Look, she left us! What do you wanna do? Swim?” He asked me.

“If that is what it takes.” I said back. “ She’s not herself. You have no idea what she’s fighting.” Finn said referring to Rey again. “And you do?” Poe asked him. Finn paused for a moment. “Yeah, I do. And so does Leia.” He replied. “Well, I’m not Leia.” Poe exclaimed pointing in Finn’s face. “That’s for damn sure.” I said. “Lilly-“ Poe began. I didn’t really want to hear it. Jannah then ran back up to us as we approached the shore again. “There's another skimmer.” She said.

…

We boarded it and skimmed through the treacherous waves. Jannah did most of the steering as we got closer and closer to the wreckage. We got to where we could finally walk on the creaking metal. I suddenly got a feeling of dread. Mother had served the emperor here. She stood by his dreadful throne and watched on as my father battled his father. I shivered as we walked by a bunch of doors. One seemed to open as if it was for me. Finn looked back at me and shook his head, as if he didn’t want me to enter. But I needed to. I couldn’t resist the call of it. I walked in as Finn shouts for me to come back got quieter and quieter. Then the door I walked in slammed shut behind me. The fear returned. Why was I doing this? I then saw Rey pluck the way finder from it’s spot hovering between to chunks of metal. I approached her.

“What are you doing here?” She gritted through her teeth. “I can ask you the same thing.” I said. Then she stilled and seemed to look at something behind me. We both slowly turned to see a dark cloaked figure. This figure revealed herself to be Rey, with gold eyes and far paler than she ever was. Dark Rey held a two bladed red saber which she flipped to a double bladed lightsaber. We stepped back in fear as a shriek escaped Rey.

“Don’t be afraid of who you are.” Dark Rey said with a smile. She almost seemed happier than I had ever seen Rey look. She then charged forward as we were forced to activate our own lightsabers and duel her. I took her left while Rey took the right. Rey shared a glance with her evil twin. Dark Rey took this to her advantage and flipped her saber up, trapping mine and Rey’s lightsaber. Rey didn’t break the gaze on her as Dark Rey grinned and then hissed, setting us free and pushing us backwards. I now laid on my back in the throne room of the emperor. The wayfinder escaped Rey’s grip, tumbling down into the waiting hand of my cousin. 


	49. Duel of Fates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have some angst today folks. You're all in for a ride. I'm super excited to post these upcoming chapters!

Ben examined the wayfinder as our eyes met. Rey extinguished her lightsaber. Ben glanced at her and lowered his hand.

"Look at yourself." He finally said. Rey and I took a few steps forward with my hand resting on the saber at my hip. "You wanted to prove to my mother that you were a Jedi but you've proven something else." Rey just sneered at him. The gold flecks of her eyes shining bright. "You can't go back to her now. Neither of you can. Like I can't." I just shook my head. Of course he could come back. Leia would accept him with open arms with little hesitation. Rey then glanced at the wayfinder.

"Give it to me." She said angrily. Ben just shuddered and his lips formed a fine line. "The dark side is in our nature. Surrender to it." Rey just ignored him. "Ben, please." I said. "Lillian." He began. Rey then interrupted. "Give it to me." She gritted through her teeth. "Lilly this is the moment we stand together, all of us." He said. "It's not that moment." I replied, extinguishing my lightsaber as well. "Are you working together?" Rey asked. "No." I replied. "Yes." He said. Hie treating suddenly got ragged and panicked. He then looked to Rey again. "Liar." Rey said to me. "The only way you're getting to Exegol is with me." Ben said as he crushed the wayfinder in his bare hand.

"No. To the both of you!" Rey shouted as she swung her saber at me, slicing my shirt across my stomach. She then charged at Ben who dodged and slid past her blows. I just stood there confused, why did she attack me? I then realized the gold eyes. She was under control of Palpatine now. Ben could see this as well as he finally switched on his lightsaber to block her attack. He then spun in my direction and grabbed me, he took a few steps back and we plummeted down to a lower level and landing on the wet metal of the death star outside. Rey was there a few minutes later, swinging her saber at us again. I wasn't even sure what side I was on. Ben effortlessly blocked her attack each time. I attempted to wedge my saber in-between theirs but it didn't work. They just kept fighting. They continued backwards as the waves crashed around us. I then head footsteps behind us. Finn and Jannah were now running towards us.

"REY!" Finn shouted. Rey then spun around. "No!" She shouted as she force pushed him back a few feet. I glanced at the fight and then Finn. I ran to help him up with Jannah.

"Aren't you supposed to be with them?" She asked. "I don't even know anymore." I said. Then a massive wave towered above us. Ben saw this as Rey catapulted herself over the water and landing on the other pier of wreckage. Ben followed. We just sat and watched. I groaned, knowing I needed to go after them. I got up and took a running start to jump but my foot slipped. I expected to fall into the water, the salt filling my lungs. But I didn't. I stayed hovering in midair. I glanced over and saw Finn with his hand outstretched. It was him. He had the force and he used to to save me. Finn then flung his hand back. Pushing me to the other side.

Rey and Ben's sabers clashed as I heard Finn shouting above the waves. I then brought my green saber beneath their clashed ones and pulled up in an attempt to break them apart. They did but then Rey raised hers again as Ben brought it down, pushing hers against the cold metal. Rey gritted her teeth and broke away, swiping at his legs and backflipping over a smaller wave.

"What's going on." I asked him when she was gone. "The usual I guess." He said as we walked through the mist of water she leaped over. Rey seemed to ready herself as her hair now hung free and blew in the wind. Ben attacked first this time. Rey blocked his attack by stretching out her hand and and stopping his in air. Red streams came from it as Ben broke from her hold as he then did the same to her saber. Rey gritted in confusion and broke free from his grasp. The clashed again, swinging their sabers almost clumsily at one another. I blocked their attacks but it was clear I should have no involvement. I then stretched out both of my hands and stopped both of their sabers in the air and then swung at me in annoyance as I dodged the blow. Ben slashed at her and then they stopped.

 _"You don't know me, no one does" Rey mentally shouted at him._ Rey attacked him but then she stopped. _"But I do." He mentally spoke back._ Their voices seemed to speak in my mind. Ugh, couldn't they just get a room already. As Rey and I charged at him, our sabers clashed as we then pushed apart. Ben then pushed her backward with his blows. I was pushed behind him as Rey stumbled to the ground. Landing on her knees in exhaustion. 

She tried to stop his attacks from there but she was now too tired to even fight. Ben then raised his saber above his head. I seemed frozen in place to even attempt to fight him off. He then stopped, lowering his saber as if he sensed something. I could sense it too, well her.

Leia almost seemed to stand on the wreckage behind us. I knew she wasn't really there as the pieces began to click. She was force projecting which meant... _no._

"Ben" she softly said. Ben slowly turned to face her. Shock forming across his features. She then began to lean back slowly, at peace. Ben shook his head as if he didn't want to believe it. I just can't loose Leia, she's the only one I have left. Hus saber slipped from his hand as he stood with shock and grief. Neither one of us noticed Rey stand and grab the falling saber and ignite it. I then noticed as she swung it back. "Rey no!" I screamed as she drove the saber through her dyad. I could see the red of the saber and blood sticking through his back. Rey then gasped, her eyes turning back to normal.

"Leia." She whispered as she turned it off and my cousin fell backwards. I ran to him and knelt down. Our eyes met in an unspoken apology. Rey just now looked on confused. Her eyes fell to me and Ben. "Ben, Lilly." She said. "I'm sorry." Tears began to roll down her face as she let out a choked sob. I looked at Ben as he seemed to begin to be at peace and accept his fate. Rey shook her head and knelt down. She grabbed my hand and laid it on his chest and she laid hers over the top of it. I understood what she was doing as we began to give a bit of our lives to him. The wound in his gut began to heal itself as I glanced at his face. The scar began to disappear as well. I gasped. His breathing steadied as he met her eyes. Rey stopped and almost collapsed in weakness. Rey fought through her sobs and looked at her feet and then back to him.

"I did want to take your hand." Rey said to him. Flashes of the throne room, and earlier on the star destroyer formed in our minds. "Ben's hand." She said tucking a strand of lose, wet hair behind her ear. She then stood and ran to Ben's tie fightier, now seen on a piece of wreckage in front of us. She climbed in and took off, possibly to Exegol or somewhere else.

Once she was gone I weakly stood. Ben said nothing as he looked up at me. I felt deep in my soul that now it was that moment, for us to stand together and defeat Palpatine. I sighed as he and I shared a glance. We were the last of Anakin Skywalker's bloodline. The 2 remaining Skywalkers but yet I couldn't shake a horrible feeling. One of us wouldn't come out of this fight alive. We both knew that. I then turned, to see Finn running towards me. I glanced at him one last time before running to Finn and back to where the Falcon was now waiting on the wreckage.

Poe glanced at me as we boarded. I collapsed into a seat as we took off. I was now very, truly alone. 


	50. Redemption

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buckle up for the nostalgia train.

All of the words of the others on the ship seemed to fall on my deaf ears. I didn’t want to go back to the base. Everything would be real then. The ship landed as I took a breath. We all exited the ship. Poe yanked Hux on by as Larma sadly walked up to us. Then Rose ran to me.

“Did any of you get my transmission?” She asked. I shook my head. The ship was down, we couldn’t get any transmissions. “Oh.” She bowed her head sadly. “Poe, something's happened.” Larma said. I couldn’t bring myself to tell them about Leia. “This can't wait.” Finn said as he pushed Poe and Hux forward. “We've got to see the General.” Poe said as I hung back. “She’s gone.” Larma said as the others in front of me turned. “Oh Lilly.” Poe said taking a step towards me. Rose laid a hand on my shoulder. But I then looked up at the other person who was affected just as bad as I was. “Chewie?” Finn asked the wookie as Chewie let out a mournful roar. I walked up to the wookie and laid a hand on his shoulder. To my surprise he grabbed me and enveloped me into a protective hug. He growled something I didn’t quite understand.

“He said.” Larma translated. “He said that if he lets her go, she’ll die too.”

…

I sat there with Chewie for who knows how long. I grunted and shimmied out of his furry grasp and ran to my tent on the base. I was thankful it was empty. I stripped naked and went to the fresher. I allowed the water to pool in the tub and I just sat there in the murky water, have hazardly scrubbing myself clean of sweat. Then the door to the fresher opened to revel R2-D2. I thought he had refused to leave Leia’s bedside. “Artoo.” I said. “I’m not in the mood.” I even didn’t realize my salty tears until they reached my lips. The droid almost gave me something that resembled a look and he flashed out a projection.

It was of a much younger version of my aunt. She was beautiful with buns on the side of her head and a beautiful white gown. Her voice came out odd with years of being stored by R2.

“ _General Kenobi. Years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire.” The hologram said. “I regret that I am unable to present my father's request to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack, and I'm afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I have placed information vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope._ ”

The droid stopped the message and beeped all knowingly. I smiled and kissed the top of the droid’s head. I climbed out and put on a white long sleeve tunic with white wraps over the top. The collar of the tunic folded over the wraps and I put on grey capri pants and boots. I was piling my hair into a ponytail when I sensed an old presence behind me. It didn’t feel like my father or Leia. I spun around to see a beautiful woman with flowers in her long brunette hair and wearing a blue dress and a matching cloak around her shoulders. Her stomach was slightly extended as if she was pregnant. We both knew that was no longer the case. The woman before me was my grandmother Padme.

“How are you here?” I asked. She didn’t have the force, how can she appear? She smiled and held out her hand. “Fear not granddaughter, I’m a gift from Leia. I have something I need to show you.” I took her hand as I found myself back somewhere I just was. Kef Bir.

I could see my cousin standing at the end of a piece of wreckage of the Death Star. He seemed to stare at the rushing water below. I could almost see him now taking a step off and plummeting to his death. Then I saw a shimmer of odd light. The shimmer faded to revel my uncle. Grandmother and I walked closer to Han. Finally he spoke.

“Hey kid.” Han said as Ben turned. “I missed you son.” Han said. “And I am so glad to meet you grandson.” Padme said. I simply took a step back, not wanting to ruin the moment. Ben seemed to almost tremble.

“Your son is dead.” Ben said. Han chuckled to himself and Grandmother grinned. “No. Kylo Ren is dead. My son is alive.” Han replied approaching his son. Ben looked to Han and then Padme. I soon realized what he did. These weren’t spirits but just memories of how he and I had remembered or saw them. “You’re just a memory.” Ben spoke. “Your memory.” Han clarified. “Come home.” “It’s too late. She’s gone.” Ben was on the edge of tears. He never got the chance to properly mourn both of his parents.

“Your mother’s gone.” Padme said. “But what she stood for, what she fought for that’s not gone. It never was.” I could see flashes of a vision now. Ben, driving his lightsaber through Han’s chest. Ben avoided their loving gazes. “Ben.” Han said softer now. “ I know what I have to do but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it.” My cousin said. Han reached forward and caressed his son’s cheek. Ben seemed to almost lean into his touch. “You do.” Han said. Han lowered his hand as tears began to stream down his face. Ben then pulled his lightsaber off his belt and stared at it in his hand. This was the weapon he used to kill his father, cut off my hand, and fought my father with. “Dad. I-“ Ben began. “I know.” Han said with a smile. That was all Ben needed. He turned and tossed the lightsaber into the water below. I watched with a smile as Hand and Grandmother faded away and it was just us. I shook my head as he turned to see just me.

“You realize it could have stabilized itself right?” I laughed. “I do.” He said removing his cape and wringing it out. He flicked the water from the cape at me. We both laughed. I then looked at him again as my gaze got serious. “Ben. I think it’s now that moment.” I said. “It’s time to save what we love and destroy him.” I said. He nodded and the scene around me faded. I was back in my tent and I ran out to see Poe, Hux, and other fighters standing over old files of star destroyers. I sensed it now. Millions of voices crying out and then silenced. Kijimi was gone.

“Kijimi.” Poe realized. “How?” “A ship from the new Sith fleet. Out of the Unknowns.” Hux replied. “Each ship in the fleet has-“ “Planet-killing weapons. Of course they do. All of them. This is how he finishes it.” Poe finished. “I’m sorry.” I said. “For everything.” I said. “Lillian, she was your aunt, we don’t blame you for anything.” Rose said as a signal came through. She glanced back down at the files as a muffled broadcast came in.

“Listen. It's on every frequency.” She said. It was in first order coding. "The Resistance is dead. The Sith flame will burn. All worlds, surrender or die. The Final Order begins.” Hux spoke. “How do we know you’re still not with them.” Beaumont judged. “He’s not.” I said. If my cousin could be redeemed, so could he. Hux niden in my direction and Beaumont sighed in defeat. Rose spoke up again. She glanced at Poe. “Leia made you acting General. What now?” Rose asked. My boyfriend shook his head. He was at a loss. “Excuse me.” He said walking off. I followed him to were Leia’s body laid. Covered in a white sheet.

Poe spoke to the body as if she was still here. Asking what he should do. I sat beside him and held his hand.

“I got to tell you, I don’t really know how to do this. What you did. I’m not ready.” He admitted. I was about to reassure him but the sound of a curtain being moved stopped me. “Neither were we.” Lando said striding in. Poe and I stood. Han, Luke, Leia, me. Who’s ever ready?” “How'd you do it? Defeat an empire with almost nothing.” Poe asked. “Besides Ewoks.” I said. The old man chuckled. “We had each other. That’s how we won.” Lando said. That seemed to be enough for Poe as he strided out confidently. I ran to catch up with him. We almost ran right into Finn.

“I got to talk to you about something.” Finn said. “I got to talk to you about something. I can’t do this alone. I need you in command with me.” Poe said. My eyes widened. Finn clearly didn’t catch him at first. “The droid has-“ Finn began. The pieces began to connect for him as his eyes met Poe’s. “Thank you, I appreciate that.” “General.” Finn said. “General.” Poe replied. “Commander.” They both said looking to me. “What about the droid?” I asked the now General Finn. “This droid has a ton of information about Exegol.” Finn said. “And your mother.” I couldn’t process it. This droid knew her. “ Wait, what? Cone face?” Poe asked. “I am Dee Oh.” D-0 finally introduced. “Sorry. Dee Oh.” Poe said. “ He was going to the island with Mera Jade and then Exegol with Ochi of Bestoon.” “Exegol?” I asked. “Why was Ochi going there?” Poe asked. “To bring the little girls he was supposed to take from Jakku to the Emperor. He wanted her and you alive.” Finn said. “I actually have something to show you.” Finn lead us to the Falcon and plugged D-0 into the ship. I was shocked at the sight. It was a hologram of my mother.

 _“Luke. I don’t know if you’re getting this but, he’s here. Ochi. He wants the grandchild of the emperor and Obi-Wan. Ochi took the girl’s parents. Kira Kenobi and Sheev Junior.”_ The voice of my mother said. _“This may sound odd but, I was there when the emperor cloned his body and created younger versions of himself to raise as if they were his own children. His clone ordered me and his youngest to come and kill you. He escaped and ran off with the damn daughter of Kenobi and Duchess Satine. Their child is quite possibly the strongest force user I have ever seen that could either be used for good or the dark. I’ll keep her safe until you get it sorted out with Ben. I-“_ She was then cut off my an explosion and the recording fizzled out.

“Rey is a Palpatine and a Kenobi?” Finn asked. “Yeah I know. It makes no kriffing sense.” I said. I looked to Poe. “General?” I asked. “What’s the plan?” 


	51. For Leia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uncle Lando loves his goddaughter and godson.

I plugged D-0 into the computers as holographic plans flickered to life around us. Poe, Finn Rose, Hux, I, and the rest of the resistance stared at the one front of us. “All the information you need for an airstrike on Exegol.” Hux said. “Yeah, except how to get there. Are you seeing these atmo readings?” Poe asked. “It's a mess out there.” Finn replied. Magnetic crossfields.” “Solar winds.” Rose continued. “Gravity wells.” I added. “How does a fleet even take off from there?”

Then C3P0 and R2 waddled up to us. “I’m terribly sorry. I’m afraid R2’s memory bank must be crossed with his logic receptors. He says he is receiving a transmission from Master Luke.” The gold droid said. “R5.” I realized. “His x-wing? But I thought you took that to the supremacy.” Rose wondered. “It wasn’t in our scraps.” Hux said. “I returned it to the island. I felt as if it needed to be there.” I said. “We went to find the jacket after the attack. We found the ship instead.” Finn explained. Poe walked over to another file and tracked it.

“Lilly, you’re right.” Poe said “That's an old craft ID. That's Luke Skywalker's X-wing.” “It's transmitting course marker signals on its way to the Unknown Regions.” C3Po said. “It's Rey” I said. BB-8 chirped happily at our feet. “She’s going to Exegol. She’s showing us. She’s showing us how to get there.” Finn said. “Then we go together.” Poe said.

…

We gathered up the rest of the resistance and Chewie around the Millennium Falcon.

“As long as those Star Destroyers are on Exegol we can hit them.” I said. “Hit them how?” Beaumont asked. “They can't activate their shields until they leave atmosphere.” Rose explained. “Which isn't easy on Exegol. Ships that size need help taking off. Nav can't tell which way's up out there.” Poe added. “ So, how do the ships take off?” Connix asked. “They use a signal from a navigation tower, like this one.” Poe said switching on another hologram of the navigation tower. A few gasps were heard among the crowd.

“Except they won't. Air team's gonna find the tower, ground team's gonna blast it.” Finn said. “Ground team?” Someone asked. “I have an idea for that.” Finn added finding Jannah in the crowd. “Once the tower's down, the fleet will be stuck in atmo for just minutes, with no shields, and no way out.” Poe added. “We think hitting the cannons might ignite the main reactors.” Rose said. “That's our chance.” Lando realized. I grinned at my godfather and then turned back to the group.

“We need to pull some Holdo maneuvers. Do some real damage.” Beaumont said. Ramming ships together, that would be good if we all wanted to die, something I would rather not do. “Come on. That move is one in a million. Fighters and freighters can take out their cannons if there are enough of us.” Finn said. “There aren't enough of us!” Nein Numb said. “He's right. We'd be no more than bugs to them.” Connix added. “That's where Lando, Lillian, and Chewie come in.” Finn said. “They’ll take the Falcon to the Core Systems. Send out a call for help for anybody listening.” "We’ve got friends out there. They’ll come if they know there’s hope.”

There were a few worried murmurs through the crowd.

“They will.” Poe emphasized. “First Order wins by making us think we’re alone. We’re not alone. Good people will fight if we lead them.” “Leia never gave up. And neither will we. We’re gonna show them we’re not afraid.” Finn said. “What our mothers and fathers fought for we will not let die.: Poe continued as he gripped my hand. “Not today. Today we make our last stand. For the galaxy. For Leia. For everyone we’ve lost.” “They’ve taken enough of us. Now we take the war to them.” Finn finished. There were hollers of praise among the group as we all ran off, preparing for battle. R2 was settled in the back of Poe’s x-wing since BB-8 insisted on leading the ground team. I stared at Poe as He climbed in his x-wing. “Good luck General.” I said. “Same to you commander.” I said. I kissed his cheek and he flew off with a bunch of other ships, including the Alderann ship, the Tantive IV. I got on the Millennium Falcon with Lando and Chewie as we made our way across the galaxy.

…

“So Poe huh.” Lando asked kicking on auto pilot. “What?” I asked confused. “I mean, since your father passed, I guess that means I get to look out for you.” He said. Chewie growled in agreement. “Yes. I saved his life. I loved him the minute I saw him. We did have some setbacks, I did disobey his orders.” I admitted. “I had no idea he felt the same until after I got back from the Supremacy.” “Where Ben killed Snoke.” Lando said. My eyes widened. “How did you-“ I began. “Leia felt it. She told me.” He said. “She may have acted like it, but she never lost hope in her son.” I was about to say something when the coms of the ship crackled.

“Hello?” The voice said. “Chewie?” I knew this voice. “Ben, what are you doing?” I asked. _“I’m trying to get to Exegol. To find Rey, she needs me._ ” He said. “Hey kid.” Lando said. _“Lando?”_ He asked. “We’re on our way to gather troops in the galaxy, where are you Stafighter?” Lando said. Chewie growled and went to switch them off. I understood Chewie’s concern. He wanted to destroy the resistance a few days ago.

“He won’t hurt us Chewie.” I urged. _“She’s right. I’m sorry. Lando, Chewie. For what I did to Dad.”_ Ben said. “I’m a few clicks out of the Endor system.” “Do you have a weapon? You need one to save your girl.” _“She’s not my girl. And no.”_ he stupidly admitted. Lando thought for a moment and looked at me. “I know, he’s an idiot.” I said. “Just like his father.” Lando said as he turned back to the comms. “Swing by Bepsin, I got something of you father’s you may need.” I could tell Ben was going to argue about it but the coms were switched off. Lando turned to me again.

“We’re going to Bepsin. I have someone I want you to meet.” Lando said. “In the meantime, tell me what you know about Ben and Rey.”

**_BEPSIN_ **

I told Lando everything, from Starkiller Base to now as we moved through the clouds of the planet. We landed on a ramp where an old man in a flight suit was waiting.

“Lillian Skywalker, meet Wedge Antilles.” Lando introduced. I shook the man’s hand. “I destroyed the Death Stars with the help of your father.” Wedge said as we moved inside one of the buildings where Lando could broadcast a message. I waited in one of the rooms as I sensed Ben’s presence. I walked out to a hallway to see him using the force to open a long forgotten locker.

“Need some help?” I asked. He almost jumped at the sound of my voice. He looked so much different now with no scar on his cheek and discarding his Kylo Ren robes. Now he wore just his pants, boots, and a thin black sweater with a hole in the middle. The locker then opened as a blaster fell out. He almost smiled.

“Dad said he would give me this when I was old enough.” He said. “You are now.” I said. “Definitely.” Lando said as we turned to see him. Beside him, Wedge had a blaster raised as Ben put up his hands in defense.

“He’s on our side Antilles.” Lando spoke. “Got a ship.” “Yes.” He answered pointing out the window to an old empire era tie. “What a piece of junk.” I said. “Much like the one you arrived in.” Ben said crossing his arms over his chest. I rolled my eyes. “Good thing you guys are going to Exegol together then.” Lando replied. We both turned to ask him why. “You said it, find Rey, now go.” We nodded and got in the tie. I was thankful it had 2 seats as I settled in the one behind him. I punched in the directions from Rey as we made our way to Exegol, wondering which one of us will make it out alive. 


	52. Ben

Ben and I landed on the ice of the planet, reminding me of when he pulled me here through our bond. Rey’s force presence was strong, she was already inside the Sith cathedral, facing her grandfather.

We ran through it jumping on the elevator down. Ben had decided it was going too slow as he grabbed my waist and we jumped onto a sith statue only a couple of feet below.

“Ow.” Ben gritted. I laughed as I then realized we were no where near to the ground. “Now what genius?” I asked. He then followed my gaze to the ground, a chain. was attached to the massive statue. We walked across the chain to the ground and made our way through it again. He shot at the remaining Emperor’s guards that lingered. I gripped my blaster tight as we rounded a corner to see 6 black clad figures, the knights of Ren.

“I forgot I deployed them here.” Ben whispered to me as they began to surround us, circling us like prey. Rey’s presence was even mightier than before as we could now hear the voice of the emperor speaking to her.

_“She will draw her weapon.” Palpatine said as Rey activated her saber and took a few slow steps to him. Fear was ever present in her stance. “She will come to me.”_

Ben raised his hand, curling his fingers to throw the Knights off balance. I activated my saber and sliced through some. Ben’s blaster was knocked out of his hands. It was an even match between me and one of them while he took on the rest. One of them raised their weapon and sliced at his face. Another kicked him in the stomach, making him double over on his knees. The knight I was with got the upper hand a gripped me in a choke hold. It began to squeeze and I began to see stars, but not of the sky above.

_“She will take her revenge.” Palpatine said as she raised her saber. “And with a stroke of her saber the Sith are reborn! The Jedi are dead!”_

Ben stood as all the air was sucked from the room. We now could see her before us. Rey’s body seemed to flood with relief as her fear dissipated. Ben nodded as she seemed to nod back.

_“Make the sacrifice!” Palpatine forced. Rey rises her saber over her head and behind her back and let go._

“Holy sh-“ I gasped as our grandfather’s saber seemed to appear in his hand. The knights around us backed away. The one that held me loosened its grip. Ben raised the saber from behind his back. Ben held the saber and simply shrugged, a way I would imagine Han doing, and attacked.

I took the surprise and elbowed the knight behind me on the gut. I raised my saber and drove it through the same spot. Ben twirled the saber in his hand as he cut down more of his knights. The blue lightsaber and black colored weapons clashed. Ben then ducked down, putting the saber up against his back to block them. He let out a puff of air and spun back around. I attacked another knight that advanced on me. Ben force pushed the one that advanced on me backwards into a put behind me.

“I had it.” I shouted at him as I attacked another. “Did you?” He asked me as he drove the lightsaber through another knight. I successfully took down another and only 3 were now standing. Ben then leaped through the air and stabbed one in the back. We took the last two down with ease and ran until we saw the red guards advancing on Rey. One raised a weapon she didn’t see as Ben shot it in the back.

Rey spun around in shock, seeing us standing side by side. Ben walked up to her looking her in the eyes. Get a room, please. We then turned and we all stood with our sabers raised against Palpatine. Rey held a new saber I had never seen. Something told me it was Leia’s. One she built before she abandoned her training. I stood between them with a green saber, feeling a bit left out.

“Stand together.” The emperor crooned. “Die together.” He jutted out his bony hands pulling Rey and Ben to him and tossing me beside the throne. I was forced to stand beside him as one strong force held me up and other holding Rey and Ben. Then a stream of blue light seemed to move off of just the dyad and to Palpatine. He looked at his hands in shock as the skin began to reform.

“The life force of your bond.” He realized. “A dyad in the Force. A power like life itself. Unseen for generations.” Rey and Ben struggled to break free from his grip. “And now the power of 2 restores the one, true Emperor.” He jutted out his hands again and the blue light got brighter as he sucked the life from them. They both let out painful but silent screams. The evil laughter filled my ears. He stopped as the two fell to the side weakened and passed out.

I struggled in the grasp. I felt it loosen as I collapsed. Palpatine looked different as he slid from his life support, now able to live without it. “Now, dear. You will work by my side. As your foolish mother and grandfather did.” I stood, glaring at him.

“No, they were strong to resist you.” I said. “That is what I was afraid of. I really don’t want to kill you, but I will.” He sneered. He faced away from me and looked to the sith cultists around us. “Look what you have made.” He spoke. Groaning, I summoned my saber and raised it above my head. I charged at him. I was then grabbed by the force and suspended in the air once more. My own saber was yanked from my hand and raised to be level with my neck. Lightning shot out of his hand as I convulsed from the lightning. The saber getting closer to my neck, I could feel the heat rolling from it as we both heard a groan. I mentally begged Ben not to get up. He did anyway as I was pulled over to his side and he was pulled up as well. The emperor’s now yellow eyes narrowed.

“As once I fell so falls the last Skywalkers.” He grunted as we were both blown back and fell down a pit behind us. 


	53. Be with me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A long chapter but it's worth it. (REYLO!!!)

I was falling. I then felt something grab my good arm as it snapped out of place. I screamed in pain. “Sorry.” Ben’s pained voice spoke as he pulled me up to the outcropping he landed on. I glanced above us as lightning moved through the sky, shooting down the resistance fighters and heroes that showed up with Lando. I should be with them but instead I was here, lying half dead in a pit all because of who I was. I then screamed in pain again as my arm was snapped into place. Ben collapsed up against the wall. I could see the tear in his pants, a bit of a bloody white sticking through. I gagged.

“We can’t get out of here.” I said looking at his leg. “Correction.” He said. "You can. Rey needs you more than me.” “Don’t say that. You’re her other half, of course she does.” I said. I laid my hand on his leg, force healing him enough to where he bone was back in and he could at least stand for a moment. “Stop, Lillian. There’s no hope.” He said. “There’s always hope. It’s what we’re built on.” I said. He sighed. I then froze.

_“Be with me.” Rey begged. “Be with me.” And they were._

“I’m with you.” I said. Ben just looked at me oddly. He didn’t hear it. The voices of all before.

“These are your final steps, Rey. Rise and take them.” The young voice of Obi-Wan said. “Rey.” Our grandfather, Anakin said. Ben shot up, he heard that. He stood as I helped him. Rey’s name continued to be spoken by Ashoka Tano and Kanan.

“Bring back the balance, Rey, as I did.” Our grandfather said. Ben and I gripped the rocks and gained our footing. We ignored our pain and began to climb. The voices only got more prominent.

“In the night, find the light, Rey.” Luminaria spoke. “You’re not alone, Rey.” Mace said. “Alone, never have you been.” The clear voice of Yoda spoke. I could sense Rey begin to stand. “Every Jedi who ever lived lives in you.” Qui-Got said. “The Force surrounds you, Rey.” Anakin said. “And us.” I gritted continuing to climb.

“Let it guide you.” Aayla said. “As it guided us.” Ashoka continued. “Feel the Force flowing through you, Rey.” Mace spoke. “Let it lift you.” Anakin said. “We stand behind you, Rey.” Qui-Gon said. “Rey.” The old voice of Obi-Wan said. “Rise in the Force.” Yoda added. I let out a grunt as a waited for Ben to catch up. His leg was still badly broken. “In the heart of a Jedi lies her strength.” Kanan said. “Rise.” Obi-Wan and Qui-Gan said.

“Rise.” Another voice said. It was much closer now. Ben and I glanced over our shoulders to see a man. Our grandfather. And older dark haired woman was at his side holding a small blonde boy in her arms. Our great grandmother Shimi Skywalker. A woman appeared at his other side. Our grandmother as a little blond boy and a brunette girl ran up to them. Luke and Leia. “Rise my grandchildren.” Anakin said as his force spirit looked us in the eyes. “The Jedi live in Rey but all the Skywalkers live in the both of you.” The spirits faded as we looked at each other with a newfound strength. We climbed faster and faster.

“Rey, the Force will be with you, always.” Luke finished as the voices stopped. The strongest sense of force seemed to live in Rey as we reached the top of the chasm. We had began to hear them.

“You are nothing! A scavenger girl is no match for the power in me.” Palpatine said as he shot lightning at her. She deflected it with Leia’s saber, groaning as she got closer. I soon realized as our hands smacked the top that she was absorbing the lightning, and shooting it back through the saber. “I am all the Sith!” Palpatine shouted. “And I.” Rey began. She stretched out her hand as the Skywalker saber began to move to her. Ben grabbed it and ran to her side and activated the saber. I walked by his side.

“And we.” He added. “Are all the ledi.” I said laying my hands on both of their shoulders as they crossed their sabers, shooting the lighting back at him. We got closer and closer to him. The light was blinding. The lighting began to melt his skin. We pushed forward as he began to fall apart. And then one final push littered his body to nothing but melted skin and bones. Rocks around us began to fall as the cathedral broke. The cults screamed as the debris crushed them. Lightning sparked around us. One particular bolt threw us back in 2 separate directions. Above, the star destroyers began to explode. We won. Through the hazy smoke and dust I saw Rey. Something was wrong, very wrong. I then felt her push images into my head.

_We were children in this. It was right after Mother died. I walked back to our home in tears. I then looked to a 9 year old Rey with tears down her cheeks. I went to hug her, pushing down my own grief for hers._

_“Don’t worry Lilly. When my parents come back, we can all go on adventures together.” Rey assured. “Yeah. We will.” I said rubbing small circles on her back._

_…_

_Another image was shown of me hugging her close as she shook after a bad and dark dream when she was 13. She had told me that morning that she felt an odd cold chill. I now knew that Ben was 23 when he fell to Snoke. I was there for her during all those years. Then a voice rang out in my mind. It was Rey’s._

_“You were a great big sister Lillian. I love you both._

_…_

It only took seconds for me to comprehend what was happening. Leia’s saber fell from her hands as she smiled at me and Ben weakly before her knees gave out beneath her. Rey was gone.

…

I had felt it. Finn had felt it. And worst of all Ben did too. Beside me he pulled himself to his feet. I got up and stood by to help him walk. I hooked myself under his arm and we struggled to move to her. At some point, he collapsed taking me down with him. One look at Rey’s body lying among the only beacon of light shining in, make us get up and move on. Once we got to her we both fell again and separated as Ben crawled to her, running his hands along her arms. He then pulled her into his lap, cradling her body in his arms. Her eyes were wide open, almost accusing us of her death.

He brought her up to his chest, crying into her cold shoulder. I allowed my tears to fall. She was gone. My sister, my best friend. All because of Palpatine. He had ruined our lives even further because of this. I ran my hand up to where her arm band was. I pulled it off, she didn’t deserve to go to the force like this. I was fully prepared to see Rey disappear forever as I then felt a snap of resolve in my cousin. He nodded ever so slightly. I realized what he was going to do as he pulled her away.

“Don’t” I begged. “Don’t kill yourself.” “Is she not worth it?” Ben asked. “Oh she is.” I said. “I can’t live without either of you.” “Lillian, please. Let me do this. Let me give her back to the galaxy, to you. I can’t live without her too. And it’s better me than her.” He said. I decided to remain quiet as he wrapped his hand around her abdomen and began to push his life into her. He was distracted. I needed to do this. Ben deserved to live. If anything, I’m the one that should go away. My mother was the reason Palpatine lived. It would be better if I wasn’t here to remind them of that. I warily reached up my hand on Ben’s shoulder. I felt my life fleeting now as I pushed the life he gave back into him. As he poured, I gave. This tug went on for agonizing seconds until he stopped. I looked to see Rey’s eyes blink in confusion and her hand lay on top of Ben’s. I let go of him and I fell from my upright position to my back. Neither one of them seemed to notice as she sat up. The only sound in the cathedral was our baited breaths. Then she spoke.

“Ben!” She said as the brightest smile I had seen on her. “Ben, Lillian. Your family would be so proud.” She said. Ben smiled slightly as she caressed his cheek. Rey grinned and glanced at his lips. She smiled and leaned forward and kissed him.


	54. Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short and sad chapter.

Ben Solo couldn’t believe it. Rey was alive. She was here living and breathing in his embrace. And she kissed him, expressing her love and gratitude for him. They parted as Rey smiled again with a hint of nervousness. Did he not like it? Rey patently waited for an answer and he grinned. The only and biggest one, all for her. She caressed his face once more, drumming her fingers against his warm and smooth cheek. Ben assumed now would be the moment in some odd universe where he would fall backwards while Rey tried to cling to him and he went to the force. But it didn’t. He felt stronger than ever before, full of more life than ever despite his still broken leg. Then there was a strong pain in the force, the last shred of light flickering away. He could tell Rey felt the same when her smile faded. Rey slowly turned her head to see Lillian lying on the cold ground, her complexion alerting beginning to grey.

“Lilly!” Rey cried scrambling off of Ben’s lap to her side. Ben was with her. “She’s-“ Rey began as tears rolled down her face. Ben shook beside her.

“Rey. I wanted to give my life to you.” Ben said. “I didn’t want her to do the same.” She could tell Ben was holding back tears. He was the last Skywalker now. The legacy resting upon his shoulders as it always did but now the weight was almost too much to bear. “Neither one of us did.” Rey said as they both sobbed. Ben then looked to Rey. Force, he loved her so much. But Lillian needed to live. Ben reached out his hand and laid it on her chest. Rey laid her’s on top of it. They would bring Lillian back. Even if it killed them.

…

Poe Dameron looked at the falling destroyers in amazement. “Their fleet is stuck here! They're toast! Come on!” He yelled to their fellow resistance members. “Finn, you seeing this?”

“ _Finn didn't board the lander._ ” Connix said through the comms. Finn, Rose, and Jannah were still on the main destroyer, that was beginning to explode. “They're still on that command ship?” He realized. “I see them. I'm going to get them.” “ _General, you won't make it._ ” Someone said. “Trust me, I'm fast!” Poe assured them.

“ _Not as fast as this ship._ ” Lando cut in. “ _I’ll get those 3. Go get your girl. She’s in the cathedral._ ” Lillian went there. But how did she even get there? He shook his head and turned around, landing on the platform outside of it. He saw Luke’s x-wing and a forgotten empire tie beside it. Ok what was going on?

It immediately felt dark at the cathedral literally and figuratively. Poe braced himself and walked in, removing his helmet before. He flicked on a flashlight to see an elevator beside a fallen statue. He allowed it to lower him somewhat and continued. After continuing more, he tripped over something. Shining the light in that direction, he realized it was the body of one of the Knights of Ren. It still had a smoking hole where a lightsaber once was. He swallowed his fear and got up running to a clearing. And there it was. He noticed a throne on one side of the room with a pile of flesh and bones on it. He grimaced before looking back over at something else. 2 figures sat looking at a crumpled body. One of the figures stood. It was Rey. She ran to him.

“Poe!” She said breathless. “Rey?” He asked. He then noticed the dried tears on her face. “Something has happened with Lillian.” She took in a shaken breath. “She-“ The pieces began to connect looking beyond the last Jedi and the fallen figure. The mass of red hair was a giveaway. At her side was the man that once tortured information out of him before this whole journey even began. “Kylo Ren, get the hell away from her!” Poe said raising his blaster and pushing Rey aside. Ben scooted away from her as Poe knelt to her side. “What did you do?” Poe asked the former supreme leader. “I-“ Ben began. “He didn’t do anything. She gave her life. To save ours.” Rey said. She would tell him about everything later. “Well we need to do something.” Poe exclaimed. He looked down at her face, she looked almost as if she was asleep. He began to press onto her chest and press breaths into her.

“It won’t work.” Ben said quietly. “I don’t care what you think.” Poe said as he continued to do the chest compressions. “He’s right.” Rey said. “It won’t work.” Poe then went to apply pressure again before almost falling over. Instead of pressing against her chest, they pressed against the ground. Lillian had disappeared into the force. Like her mother, leaving only her clothes behind.

Poe sighed as more tears ran down his face. The 3 of them scrambled to hold it down when a gust of wind came in, threatening to blow the remains away. Poe then ran his fingers along the chain around his neck. A necklace his mother gave him with her engagement ring from his father. She had given it to him for he to eventually give it to the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with. He yanked the necklace off and stared at it for a moment. He caught Rey and Ben looking at him and so he laid the necklace down where her neck would be at the collar of her tunic. Rey slugged over to Poe and hugged him, allowing the general to cry into her shoulder. She noticed Ben just wrap his arms around himself and weep. She herself closed her eyes and grabbed Lillian’s sleeve. This was the one thing, she could never fix. 


	55. The Rise of Skywalker

**_WORLD BETWEEN WORLDS_ **

It was an odd sensation. Darkness and swirling white surrounded me. I wrapped my arms around me to cover my naked self, could the afterlife at least let you have some clothes.

“Young Skywalker, hello.” The voice of Yoda said. I jumped and looked over my shoulder to see my father’s master, Yoda. There was an uncomfortable silence.

“Master stop.” Another voice said helping me to my feet. It was Obi-Wan. Finally some form of clothing covered me. It was the clothes I used to wear on Jakku. “So uncivilized.” Obi-Wan said. I shot him an offended look.

“You look fine.” Lillian.” My grandmother said appearing before me. “I can’t believe this is what you’re concerned about.” Anakin said. “It’s not.” I said. “Where am I?”

“A place between places.” My father said appearing at his mother’s side. I ran to him. “So I’m dead?” I asked. The uncomfortable silence fell again. “Yes but no.” Mace Windu said. I looked at the ghosts confused.

“You’re not supposed to be here.” My uncle Han Solo said, appearing among them. “You weren’t supposed to die.” “So who was? Rey? Ben?” The look in his eyes told me it was Ben. “Oh.” I realized. “So redemption does equal death?” “Not always.” My grandfather said. “I wish it didn’t.” “Oh and you would have liked to meet your grandchildren in a scary black costume.” Obi-Wan sassed. Grandfather rolled his eyes.

“The point is, that it’s not your time.” A voice said. I knew the voice. “Mother.” I said running to hug her. “My dear. I wished I wasn’t meeting you again so early.” I sighed.

“So why didn’t any of you guys stop me from giving my life to Ben?” I asked. There was silence again. “We realized what was happening before it was too late.” Grandfather said. “I regret everything. This is all my fault.” “Oh, Ani.” Grandmother spoke. “I didn’t kill Palpatine.” He said.

“And I was the one who revived his spirit.” Mother said. “I should have told you.” “And I should have never sent you away.” Dad said. “Nor Ben.” Han added.

“Yes, there things we not should do.” Yoda said. “Cannot change the past, we must.” “So I’m just stuck here?” I said. My father’s eyes fell to the ground. 

"She’s not here yet.” He said. I knew of who he meant. “Leia.” Han said. “Leia.” I added. “Lillian.” Mother said. I turned to face her. “I’m sorry.” She held me close as I felt another pair of arms wrap around me. Dad. I cried.

_Voices rang out beyond this place. “Lillian.” Ben said. “I can’t believe she’s gone.” Poe said. “I never told her anything, she must have hated me.” Rey said._

“I never hated you.” I said to myself. Then we all felt something. A shift in the force. We separated and looked forward at a blinding light. It faded to see a single beacon of light and a figure standing among it. I would recognize the figure anywhere, the buns on the side of her head was a giveaway. “Leia.” Grandfather whispered. “She’s here.” Han said. “Your chance this is.” Yoda said. “Would it work?” Han asked. “It might.” Mace said. “I’ll take you to her.” Grandfather suggested. Grandmother nodded. I looked back to my parents and Han. I hugged Han first. I knew I would never see him again. “I’ll miss you too kid.” My uncle said. “I thought that was my name.” Dad added with a smirk. I smiled and went to hug him and then Mother.

“I’m so sorry.” She said. “You have nothing to be sorry for.” I said. Tears welled in her eyes as I took my Grandfather’s hand. Grandmother was on my right and he on my left. We walked towards Leia as a steady pace. The light that surrounded her was so bright. She was the other, the one Skywalker that would never fall to the dark.

“Do me a favor, stargaze.” Grandfather said. I looked to him. “Keep the balance.” He said. “The force isn’t purely light or dark. It’s the force. Help Rey and Ben see that.” “I will.” I said. “And be a strong leader.” Grandmother said. “Be kind but stand firm on what you believe. It may never prevent war from returning, but it may halt it for a while.” I nodded as we got to her. Leia was much younger than I ever knew her. She looked to be the same age as what R2 had in his memory. She smiled but said nothing. My aunt reached out her hand, expecting me to take it. I looked back to the others over my shoulder. They nodded. I took it and the world seemed to be enveloped in a blinding light.

…

**_EXEGOL_ **

The first thing I felt was sadness and a hand wrapped around my wrist. I opened my eyes to see the dark sky of Exegol staring down. My eyes and Ben’s met. He gasped. “Lilly.” Rey said as she held my hand and pulled me to be sitting upright. “I-“ she began. “I know Rey.” I said. “I forgive you.” She smiled as tears welled.

“Lillian.” Poe said. I fell into his arms. I then felt something around my neck. I looked down and saw the chain strewn through his mother’s engagement ring.

“Poe.” I simply said. We leaned in to where our foreheads pressed together. We kissed, slowly and beautifully. “I love you.” He said. “Oh, I know.” I added. Poe stood and helped me up. Rey was at my side in second before I almost toppled over. I nodded to let them know I was ok.

“Now what?” Rey asked. “We go back to the resistance, find something to do with him.” Poe said pointing to Ben. “Like what?” I asked. “I don’t know. We’ll figure that out when we come to it.” He said. Rey smiled and walked to help Ben stand up. Above us, the cathedral creaked. It was going to collapse. We ran until we found a way out. Seeing our ships parked among the wreckage. Poe went to get in his. I wondered if I should take my father’s ship or not.

“Take it.” Rey said. “I’ll go back with Ben.” She kissed his cheek before getting in the tie. I found Poe’s eyes, that were wide with shock. I nodded to my cousin as I got in my own x-wing.

 _“There, look! Red 5 is in the air. Rey's alive.”_ Finn said through the comms. _“I see them.”_ Poe said with a smile in his voice. _“People are rising up all over the galaxy.”_ Finn said. We did it.” “We did it.” I said to myself as Poe said the same thing through the comms. We all then jumped into lightspeed as the tie trailed loosely behind us. 


	56. Reunited

**_AJAN KLOSS_ **

Everyone else had already arrived and were celebrating among the base. I just stood beside the x-wing as the tie landed. Rey stepped out of where Ben was sitting. It did have two seats. I eyed her as she just shrugged.

“Are you ready?” I asked. She nodded. “Wait here.” She said to Ben. I took her hand as we walked through the clearing to the celebration.

The first thing I noticed was Chewie, victoriously holding Han’s old medal from the first Death Star explosion. I smiled as people patted me and Rey on the back, we both winced in pain ever so slightly. But then the pain all went away seeing a relieved Finn and knowing Poe, with his arm in a sling, looking at us. I glanced over slightly at Lando talking to Jannah. Funny, he did mention loosing a daughter to the First Order. I also noticed Hux hug Rose and his cheeks almost grow red and flustered as she ran off. Huh, who would’ve thought.

As me, Rey, Finn, and Poe walked up to each other, our smiles only grew. “You’re alive.” Finn muttered. Rey smiled as if to hide tears. “Rey. I have something to tell you. I think I have the-“ “Force.” Rey finished. We all looked at her quizzically. “Somehow, I’ve always known.” Finn then embraced us, the four of us wrapped in a hug. I noticed Rey and Poe share a glance before clasping hands behind Finn’s back. Finn and I were practically in tears. Then I felt him tense and there were murmurs of worry in the crowd. _Oh no._

Finn let us go and we turned to see an almost comically short Rose standing next to a now handcuffed Ben. There was a scowl across her face. An award silence filled the once celebratory crowd. “I can explain.” Rey said the exact same time Finn pulled out a blaster and stunned him in the chest, blowing him back several feet.

…

Rey and I dragged a groggy Ben Solo to the medical bay where they reluctantly worked on him, wrapping a bacta cast around his leg and other wounds. Finn, Poe and Rose followed us inside. Rey and I sat on either side of the bed.

“Aren’t you going to explain.” Finn asked. “We’re connected through the force.” Rey said. “A dyad.” Ben added. “We didn’t ask you.” Rose eyed him, keeping a hand on her taser. “Isn’t he hurt enough?” I asked. “We’ll since he did torture me,” Poe said. “Slice my back up.” Finn added. “And kill my sister.” Rose continued. “So no.” I sighed.

“This dyad has lasted our whole lives without either one of us knowing.” Rey said. “It began to be more prominent on Ach-to when I was training with Luke. I began to trust him. So much so that I went to him on the Supremeacy.” “Way back then?” Poe asked. “You were there?” Finn asked. Rey nodded, ashamed of the lies she told them. “Did Leia know?” Finn asked. Rey shook her head.

“She did.” I said making them all look to me in shock. “She knew that Rey didn’t kill Snoke. Ben did.” “But how did Leia know that?” Rose said. “Rose. He’s my cousin, Leia’s son.” I slowly answered. Her face looked shock and then back to him. “It does make sense. That’s why she died.” Ben bit his lip, shaking again to hold back tears. Then the curtain to the medical bay tent shifted. We looked to see Lando and Chewie walk in.

Ben sat up slightly. Lando was quiet as he sat on the side of the bed I was sitting on. Lando pulled him into a hug. “I’m sorry we weren’t there for you kid.” He said. “But I know you all did the best you could.” Ben said. He glanced at me. “We were annoying.” I laughed, so did Lando, clasping Ben’s shoulder as he winced in pain. Lando stood and Chewie walked over. I had expected the wookie to lash out. All of us did. Rey squeezed his hand in support as Chewie growled in his face. Ben looked at him in surprise as the wookie hugged Ben, lifting him out of the cot pulling the bacta on his arms off. Chewie realized what he did as he set the man down and Ben reapplied it.

“It’s ok Uncle Chewie.” Ben said with a smile. “It’s good to see you Ben. But unfortunately not for others.” Lando said. “What do you mean?” Rey asked. That was when we noticed Poe and Finn, whispering to one another. Rey crossed her arms over her chest. “What are you guys doing?” She asked.

“Rey I know you both care about him and it’s clear his intentions are good but-“ Poe began. “He needs to be in custody.” Finn finished. “I understand.” Ben said. “For how long?” He didn’t get an answer as Hux charged in. Lando and Chewie left as the tension increased. “What the kriff are you doing here?!” They both angrily yelled at each other.

“I was the spy.” Hux said. “No really.” Ben said. “It’s true.” Finn said. Ben then laughed. “Yeah. We couldn’t believe it either.” Poe said with a laugh. “It is hilariously unpredictable isn’t it.” Poe said with a laugh. The laughter caught on as we all laughed until our injuries started to ache again.

…

Night had fallen over the base. We had decided to burn Leia’s remains, with all the resistance and Ben in attendance. Rey and I stood beside him as we carried out the funeral. Ben was escorted back to a cell as a fire raged in front of us. Rey and I retired to our rooms. As I passed by hers. I noticed her sitting on her cot. She had cleaned the blood off her face and discarded the wraps and her shirt, only in her breast wraps and pants. Tears rolled down her face. I waked over to her and sat on the bed.

“I can’t believe it.” Rey said. “I killed them and nearly got the resistance killed. You died because of me. Ben almost did. I’m sorry.” “You have nothing to be sorry for.” I said. “It was so cold being dead. I was in a blackness. I saw my family. And I think Leia saved me.” “I think she did too.” Rey added holding my hand. We looked at each other with soot still in our hair and tears on our cheeks. We laughed and then hugged. Rey and I collapsed onto her bed and slept for hours. 

…

As dawn rises over the base, I shimmied away from Rey and went to my room. Poe was still asleep as I climbed into bed. His arms wrapped around me and held me close as if by muscle memory.

“I will.” I said. “Will what?” He asked beginning to wake up. “Be with you.” I said. A smile formed across his face as he kissed me. I was no longer alone or helpless in this galaxy far, far away. 


	57. Lillian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is it folks, last chapter. I'm so sad to see this story end. I've worked on it since August of last year. I hope you've enjoyed going on Lillian's journey with me.

The war ended 6 months ago. There are still small armadas of the First Order and sympathizers out there still but would not remain much longer with our constant attacks. Some of the resistance members were beginning to move back to their areas of the galaxy to celebrate our victory, including Chewie, who wanted to return to his family on Kashyyyk. Now only, Rey, Poe, Finn, Rose, Hux, Ben, I, and a few handful of others remained on Ajan Kloss.

For the most part Ben was still kept in a cell but with more of a free rein on the base except for the force restriction cuffs on his wrists. I noticed how he was oddly patient with C3P0, unlike our parents before and how D-0 would twirl around him declaring his happiness. My friends were beginning to trust him more each day. Finn was beginning his Jedi training with Rey and I received some more training from Ben and Rey. On this particular day we all sat in the mess hall. I was next to Poe while Rey and Ben sat across from us. Rose sat next to us across from Finn.

“I have something I need to do.” Rey simply and suddenly said. She wore a white outfit much like the one she wore during Exegol but with a cropped white hooded vest and a grey tank under the white wraps. Her hair was in her buns once more. “We need to do something with your mother and father’s sabers.” Rey had made her own lightsaber with no use for her former masters’.

“Like what?” I asked. I wore a grey outfit with a hooded tank, and matching long pants. I woe tall black boots and black armbands. “Doesn’t Finn need one for training?” “I’m fine Lilly.” He said. He wore what he usually did but a white undershirt, purple pants with a blue stripe up the side and his brown vest. “I can always borrow yours if you’re not going to use it.” I stuck out my tongue at him as Rey continued. “They need a resting place.” “Do you have a place in mind?” Ben asked. Rey nodded as she finished her food and got up.

“Meet me at the Falcon in an hour.” She instructed leaving us all in a mix of confusion.

…

Me, Ben, Poe, and Finn walked up the ship ramp. We found Rey and BB-8 on board, fixing a loose pannel. Poe just wore a white top with black pants and boots while Ben wore a black shirt with a black jacket over the top and black pants. Around his wrist, other than the cuffs, was his father’s dice, fashioned into a bracelet. Poe went to slide in the pilot seat just as Ben did.

“I’m the best of the resistance.” Poe argued. “This is my father’s ship.” Ben said back. “It’ll be hard to fly with handcuffs.” Poe said. “If you would take them off I would be ok.” Ben said back. Rey and I exchanged a glance as we pushed our lovers aside and slid into the pilot and co-pilot seats.

The men grunted in annoyance. Finn, Rey and I just laughed as Finn slid into the seat behind mine and Poe behind Rey. Ben chose to sit at the game table until we reached our destination.

**_TATOOINE_ **

I was shocked to see us enter the sandy atmosphere of my father’s home planet. We soared beside a sand crawler as we landed outside a small homestead, my father’s.

“The Lars homestead?” I asked. “This is where you want to put the sabers to rest?” “I knew you wouldn’t like it.” Rey said as she exited the cockpit and went to Ben. She pulled Ben up and unlocked the cuffs. “I don’t like this either.” Ben said. Rey just nodded and exited the ship. Ben and I ran after her. BB-8 trailed behind with objection from Poe.

We walked to the homestead and looked down at the sand coated pavilion below. It had been abandoned for 31 years. Something then caught my eye. A metal board sticking from the sand. Rey pulled it free and grinned. “For old times sake?” She asked. I nodded as we climbed on and pushed ourselves down the sand dune. We shrieked like children upon reaching the bottom. We got up as Ben walked down slowly.

“You guys could have been mature and walked down here like adults.” He said. “Where’s the fun in that?” I asked. I turned to see Rey wander it with a look of awe on her face. We walked through the home to make our way up by the long dead crops. It smelt of rancid food and burning flesh. I walked into a workshop as Ben stayed in the kitchen. This was my father’s. I looked at some of the toys in the corner. One was of an old republic ship. I picked it up and waved it in the air as if it was real and flying through the stars. My heart stopped upon seeing the name scrawled on the side. Stargaze. I smiled as tears welled. I sat the toy down and walked back to Ben, who had mistakenly opened the fridge. It smelt of rancid blue milk. I looked at the table to see half eaten plates of food.

“Ew.” He and I both said. We tossed the tables contents into the trash as we exited the home into the bright sunlight. We found Rey sitting in the sand, wrapping Luke and Leia’s sabers in an orange cloth. He and I shared a grace before kneeling beside her. “Starting without us.” Ben asked. Rey shrugged as she let Ben wrap a cord around them, securing the sabers together. I still wasn’t happy with this, even through Ben and I put their remains in Grandmother’s tomb on Naboo.

Rey laid her hand on the bundle. Ben put his hand on top of her’s and mine on top of his. Rey closed her eyes as she forced the bundle beneath the sand with the force. I could almost hear my Grandfather’s protests. He did hate sand after-all. After they settled beneath the sand, Rey unclipped her saber from her belt. It was made from pieces of her staff. Rey switched it on as the colors inside flickered from green, blue, and a brilliant yellow blade emerged. Ben smiled, he had yet to build his own but I had a feeling he would someday. Rey looked at the blade with a smile. Then we felt a presence. We stood to see an old woman guiding a creature behind her.

"There’s been no one for so long.” She said. “Who are you?” “I’m Rey.” Rey said with a confidence I had never seen her have. “Lillian Skywalker.” I said. “Ben Solo.” He said. The woman looked at us again, eyeing Rey specifically. We had given the woman our last names while Rey gave none. “Rey who?” She asked. I glanced at her as Rey’s brow furrowed. What could she say? She couldn’t say Palpatine. Then we saw something, a twinkle among the horizon. Suddenly 3 figures appeared among the sand and sunset. It was my father and aunt with my grandfather clasping their shoulders. My grandfather and father seemed to almost nod. Rey smiled slightly and grabbed Ben’s hand. She looked at me and her smile got bigger. She had finally accepted in me what I wanted all along, a sister.

“Rey Skywalker.” Rey said. The woman nodded at us and went on her way. Rey grabbed my hand as well as she led us to the suns setting. BB-8 happily trailed behind as the suns set. Ben kissed Rey’s temple and they walked hand in hand back to the Falcon. BB-8 and I stayed there for a minute.

I reached to my belt to grab my lightsaber. Instead my fingers ghosted along my blaster. The one thing I had since I was a child.

_“It’s alright Stargaze.” The murmurs of my father and mother’s voices spoke. “Let go of the past.” Mother said. “Embrace what is to come.”_

The force ghosts were right. I pulled the blaster free and shoved it into the sand, sticking up ever so slightly. “Lillian!” A voice yelled. I looked at the sunset one last time before I and the round droid turned around back to where my friends and family were waiting. I turned to the ship with a newfound purpose. Rey eyed the lack of my blaster and grinned.

“Where to?” I asked not taking my eyes off the controls. “To the stars.” Poe said. “Stargaze.” I turned back to him and grinned as we took off. I watched the suns get smaller and my blaster as well. The twin suns have set on Tatooine and our journey but I couldn’t wait for what is to come next. 


End file.
